THE STRANGE TALE OF CHARLIE CHAPLIN AND STAN LAUREL Premieres At LIMF 2020

Performed in Told by an Idiot's trademark visual style, The Strange Tale of Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel looks at an unknown period in comic history when two maverick imaginations collided for a brief time. Playing fast and loose with the facts, the show is no nostalgic bio-drama, but an hilarious and deeply moving homage to two English men who changed the world of comedy forever. The show includes an original piano score played live each night, composed by MOBO Award-winner Zoe Rahman.

The show is co-commissioned by and premieres at the London International Mime Festival 2020. It is the first LIMF show to be performed at the iconic Wilton's Music Hall, and the fourth collaboration between LIMF and Told by an Idiot. Told by an Idiot's first ever show, On the Verge of Exploding was presented by the festival in 1994, followed by Don't Laugh It's My Life in 1998 and A Little Fantasy in 2003.

In 1910, the unknown Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel set sail for New York as part of Fred Karno's famous music hall troupe. They shared a cabin and then spent two years touring North America, with Stan as Charlie's understudy. Stan returned home, later finding success with his soulmate Oliver Hardy. Charlie developed his Little Tramp character and within five years became one of the most famous figures in the world.

In Charlie Chaplin's highly detailed autobiography Stan Laurel is never mentioned.

Stan talked about Charlie all his life.

Paul Hunter: 'Told by an Idiot always seeks to inhabit the space between laughter and pain, so we were intrigued to uncover this hidden and poignant chapter of comedy history. In creating a highly poetic and comically unreliable tribute to two extraordinary artists, we will value fiction over fact, fantasy over reality and shine a very unusual light on a pair of showbusiness legends.'

Design is by Ioana Curelea, winner of the inaugural Naomi Wilkinson Award. The Award has been established by Told by an Idiot to recognise a unique female visual imagination in memory of visionary designer Naomi Wilkinson, a key part of the company's history and a dear friend, who designed many of Told by an Idiot's landmark productions. Supported by the Charles Mason and Naomi Wilkinson Foundation, the company invited theatre design courses across the UK to submit recent design graduates with an inventive approach to their practice for the award, the prize being the opportunity to develop their craft in collaboration with Told by an Idiot, gain industry mentoring from established designers, and to be employed to design The Strange Tale of Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel.

Mercury Prize-nominated and MOBO award-winning musician Zoe Rahman composes the original music for the production, with song arrangement by Sophie Cotton. Jos Houben (founding member and long-term collaborator of Complicité and The Right Size) is Physical Comedy Consultant, with Dance Choreography by Nuna Sandy for ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company. Lighting Design is by Aideen Malone. Andrea Cabrera Luna is Assistant Director.

The events in this play are fictional. This play is certainly not endorsed by the estates of Charlie Chaplin, Stan Laurel or anyone else for that matter!

Theatre Royal Plymouth
Dates: 14 November - 30 November 2019 at 7.45pm (28 November 7:15pm); + 23, 30 November at 2.45pm
Information / box office: theatreroyal.com

Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg
Dates: 9 + 10 January 2020 at 8pm
Information / box office: theatre.lu

Wilton's Music Hall (as part of London International Mime Festival)
Dates: 14 - 18 January 2020 at 7.45pm; + 16, 18 January at 2.30pm
Information / box office: wiltons.org.uk

Chichester Festival Theatre
Dates: 21 - 25 January 2020 at 7:45pm; +23, 25 January at 2:45pm
Information / box office: cft.org.uk

HOME, Manchester
Dates: 4 - 8 February 2020 at 7:30pm; + 6, 8 February at 2pm
Information / box office: homemcr.org

Northern Stage
Dates: 11 - 15 February 2020 at 7:30pm; + 15 February at 2pm
Information / box office: northernstage.co.uk

Unity Theatre, Liverpool
Dates: 18 - 22 February 2020 at 7:30pm; + 22 February at 2pm
Information / box office: unitytheatreliverpool.co.uk

Birmingham Repertory Theatre
Dates: 25 - 29 February 2020 at 7:45pm; + 29 February at 2:30pm
Information / box office: birmingham-rep.co.uk

Stephen Joseph Theatre
Dates: 3 - 7 March 2020 at 7:30pm; + 5 March at 1:30pm, + 7 March at 2:30pm
Information / box office: sjt.uk.com

Royal & Derngate, Northampton
Dates: 10 - 21 March 2020 at 7:45pm (no performance on 15 / 16 March); +12, 14, 19, 21 March at 2:30pm
Information / box office: royalandderngate.co.uk

Exeter Northcott Theatre
Dates: 24 - 28 March 2020 at 7:30pm; + 25, 28 March at 2:30pm
Information / box office: exeternorthcott.co.uk

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