Royal Court's HANGMEN Recoups West End Investment

Producers Robert Fox, Matthew Byam Shaw for Playful Productions and Royal Court Theatre Productions have revealed that Matthew Dunster's production of Martin McDonagh's Hangmen has recouped in under six weeks. The news comes as the production is announced the winner of the Critic's Circle 'Best New Play' and 'Best Design' Awards today. Following a sell out run at the Royal Court Theatre, Matthew Dunster's production of Martin McDonagh's Hangmen transferred to the West End for a strictly limited season in December and must end on 5 March.

Matthew Byam Shaw, Producer for Playful Productions, said, "No-one expected a play about public lynchings to go wild at the box office over Christmas, but Hangmen is so entertaining and unique, the public has decided that this is the new play to see."

Lucy Davies, Exec Producer at the Royal Court said, "We programmed this play at the Royal Court in May, opened it to sold out houses in September, it transferred by Christmas, and has recouped by January. This has been a textbook example of how incredibly fruitful, confident and nimble the collaboration between subsidised theatres, commercial producers and theatre owners can be. It has been a very happy project, and we are delighted that audiences have embraced its brilliance, and its extraordinary craft."

After a decade-long absence from the London stage, McDonagh returned to the Royal Court Theatre with Hangmen in September 2015 to critical and public acclaim. The full West End cast includes: Josef Davies, James Dryden, Johnny Flynn, Tony Hirst, John Hodgkinson, Bronwyn James, David Morrissey, Andy Nyman, Craig Parkinson, Ryan Pope, Sally Rogers, Mark Rose and Simon Rouse.

In his small pub in Oldham, Harry is something of a local celebrity. But what's the second-best hangman in England to do on the day they've abolished hanging?

Amongst the cub reporters and sycophantic pub regulars dying to hear Harry's reaction to the news, a peculiar stranger lurks, with a very different motive for his visit.

The transfer of Hangmen is produced by Robert Fox, Matthew Byam Shaw for Playful Productions and Royal Court Theatre Productions.

Photo Credit: Helen Maybanks

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