Tabard Theatre Announces Stage Premiere of DOG ENDS As Part Of Theatre's Re-Launch

The Tabard Theatre today announced the stage première of Richard Harris's black comedy Dog Ends.

Last seen as part of the BBC's popular Play For Today series, Dog Ends has been adapted and updated by Richard Harris for its limited 4 week run at the Tabard Theatre. Keith Strachan directs Christien Anholt (The Vet), Anita Graham (Beatrice), Bryan Hands (Grandad), Jeffrey Holland (Henry), Alex Mann (Julian), Charlotte Peak (Danielle) and Nick Wilton (George). Dog Ends opens on 23 March with previews from 22 March running until 15 April.

The time is tomorrow. Middle aged George is under increasing emotional and financial pressure looking after his father and his beloved dog. When George confides in neighbourhood friend Henry that the dog is nearing the end of his time, he is passed the contact of a highly-recommended vet. However, there is a serious misunderstanding over just what it is the vet actually does and who he works for.

Richard Harris has written extensively for both theatre and television. His many stage plays include the award-winning Outside Edge, The Business of Murder and Stepping Out a major West End revival of which is soon to open at the Vaudeville Theatre starring Amanda Holden. His television credits include A Touch Of Frost, Shoestring, The Last Detective and The Avengers.

Christien Anholt plays The Vet. Previous credits for the Tabard include Bluebird and Wastwater. Other theatre credits include Another Time (Wyndham's Theatre), The Trial of Jane Fonda (Park Theatre), In Praise of Love and The Hothouse (West End). His television credits include the series lead in Relic Hunter; and for film, Reunion, Hamlet, One Against the Wind, Flyboys and Dark Corners.

Anita Graham plays Beatrice. Her theatre credits include West End productions of Ray Cooney's plays - including Run For Your Wife, Move Over Mrs Markham, The Mating Game and Wife Begins At Forty. She also originated roles in Funny Money, Time's Up and Michael Cooney's Cash On Delivery. Other credits include One In A Lifetime and Piaf (RSC), No No Nanette (Theatre Royal Drury Lane), and Look No Hans (Strand Theatre). Her latest theatre work includes a national tour of Boeing Boeing and A Day In The Life Of Frankie Abbot, (2016 Edinburgh Festival). For television, her work includes Doctor Who, Terry And June, Moon And Son, Benny Hill, Dick Emery, The Morecambe and Wise show and Horne and Corden.

Bryan Hands plays Grandad. His theatre credits include Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, Much To Do About Nothing and The Warden (Gatehouse Theatre), Blackout (Barons Court Theatre), Moon River (The Pleasance), The Lighthouse (King's Head Theatre); and for film, Predator - Dark Ages and Anna Karenina.

Jeffrey Holland plays Henry. Theatre credits include Hi-De-Hi (Victoria Palace Theatre), Run For Your Wife (Criterion Theatre), Travels With My Aunt (Whitehall Theatre), Dong Ding Murder Me on High!, Secondary Cause of Death, 'Allo 'Allo (All UK tour), And This Is My Friend Mr Laurel (Jermyn Street Theatre), Talent (Menier Chocolate Factory); and for television he is perhaps best known for portrayal of Spike in BBC TV's Hi-De-Hi, the stuffy footman, James Twelvetrees in all four series of the hugely successful You Rang M'Lord? and more recently as Mr Parkin the stationmaster in Oh, Dr. Beeching! Other credits include It Ain't Half Hot, Mum, Are You Being Served?, Dad's Army, The Mayor of Casterbridge and Russ Abbot's Madhouse.

Alex Mann plays Julian. He previously appeared in Sherlock Holmes and the Invisible Thing for the Tabard Theatre. Other credits include Dunsinane (National Theatre of Scotland), Strangers On a Train (English Theatre, Frankfurt), The Miser (Watermill Theatre), Chavs (Lyric Hammersmith), Shakespeare in a Suitcase (RSC), and The Odyssey (National Theatre); and for television, Endeavour, At Home With the Georgians and Hustle.

Charlotte Peak plays Danielle. Her theatre credits include Dreamboats & Petticoats, Dreamboats & Miniskirts (UK tours), In Love and Warcraft (Theatre N16), Royal Flush (Spanish tour), The Merchant of Venice (The Rose and Crown) and The Cherry Orchard (The Lord Stanley); and for film; Hard Time Bus and Bad Caller.

Nick Wilton plays George. Theatre credits include Dry Rot (Lyric Theatre), Cash On Delivery and Simple Spymen (Whitehall Theatre), Oklahoma! and The Railway Children (UK tour), Two Into One (Menier Chocolate Factory) and Guys and Dolls (Chichester Festival Theatre). For television his credits include EastEnders (series regular), Carrott's Lib, Hello Mum, FastForward, Playaway, Number 73, Wysiwyg and Jackanory, all of which he also wrote. Other writing credits include sketches for Not The Nine O'clock News, 3 Of A Kind, Spitting Image and Smith & Jones.

Keith Strachan has worked extensively in theatre and television as director, musical director, arranger and composer. His theatre credits, as director, include Dreamboats and Petticoats, Dancing In The Streets, Elvis The Musical, Four Steps to Heaven (West End and national tour), Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens (West End), Dreamboats and Miniskirts, Save The last Dance For Me, Laughter In The Rain, Can't Smile Without You, Sweet Soul Music, Tommy, Rock & Roll Heaven, The Concert They Never Gave, The Blues Brothers Meet The Soul Sisters, Thank You For The Music, Dancing In The Streets, Only The Lonely, The Sound Of Fury (All UK tour) and No Trams To Lime Street (Liverpool Playhouse). Strachan also devised the John Lennon musical Imagine with Ian Kellgren in 1992 and he co-wrote the musical Baby Love with Richard Harris in 1995. In the late 1980s he worked in television, as a musical director and arranger on shows such as Live From Her Majesty's, New Faces, Spitting Image and The Morecambe And Wise Show.

The Tabard Theatre is a popular Chiswick venue which has been operating since 1986. It was recently closed due to a change in management and is re-launching with this production of Dog Ends. There will be a formal press release following which will give details of the new artistic policy of the theatre and details of other upcoming productions.

For tickets and more information, visit www.tabardtheatre.co.uk.

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