Theatre on the Fly Opens FRED'S DINER Tonight, Aug 15

The third production to be staged at the brand new pop-up theatre space in Chichester is the world premiere of a witty and disturbing thriller by Penelope Skinner, one of the UK's most highly praised emerging playwrights. The cast includes award-winning actress Cush Jumbo and Olivia Poulet.

Fred's Diner is set at an American diner on a busy English motorway. Chloe wants to emigrate, Melissa dreams of university, Heather wants to rebuild her life, Sunny wants Heather… and someone is going to kill Fred. This intricately plotted new play serves up an unsettling portrayal of the darker reaches of intimate relationships.

Cush Jumbo plays Melissa. She is the winner of the Ian Charleson Award 2012 for her performance in As You Like It at the Manchester Royal Exchange. Other credits include She Stoops to Conquer (National Theatre), Love's Labour's Lost (Shakespeare's Globe), Pygmalion (Royal Exchange Theatre), Brixton Voices (Lyric Hammersmith) and Liquid Gold (Almeida Theatre).

Olivia Poulet plays Chloe. She featured in Chichester's acclaimed Festival 2011 production of Top Girls, which transferred to the West End later that year. Other credits include BBC 2 television comedy The Thick of It, as well as the film In the Loop.

The cast also includes Laurence Dobiesz as Greg, Paul Hickey as Fred, Raad Rawi as Sunny and Tracey Wilkinson as Heather.

Penelope Skinner's first play, Fucked, was a sell-out smash hit and Critics' Choice in Time Out. Her recent play, The Village Bike (Royal Court Theatre), was nominated for an Olivier Award, won the George Devine Award and the Most Promising Playwright Award at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards.

Tim Hoare was the final Heller Foundation director trained at Chichester Festival Theatre from 2010 – 2012. He assisted on Penelope Skinner's Eigengrau at the Bush Theatre, has assistant and associate directed several Chichester productions, and directed the revival of Yes, Prime Minister in the Festival Theatre earlier this year.

Design is by Andrew D Edwards. His theatre credits include Backbeat (co-designer West End), Les Parents Terrible (Donmar Warehouse), Lettice and Lovage, Single Spies, Heroes and Educating Rita (Watermill Theatre Newbury), A Voyage Around My Father (Salisbury Playhouse), Measure for Measure (Theatre Royal Plymouth/UK tour), Jesus Christ Superstar (Madrid/European tour), No, It Was You (Arcola Theatre) and The Increased Difficulty of Concentration (Gate Theatre).

Lighting design is by Richard Howell, whose other forthcoming credits include Utopia (Newcastle Live and Soho Theatre) and The Tempest (Watermill Theatre Newbury). Other recent credits include Brimstone and Treacle (Arcola Theatre), .45 (Hampstead Theatre), Uncle Vanya and Snake in the Grass (The Print Room), Lettice and Lovage, Great Expectations, Single Spies and Heroes (Watermill Theatre Newbury). He was recently Associate Lighting Designer on King Lear (Donmar Warehouse, UK tour and New York) and re-lit Edward Hall's Propeller productions of The Merchant of Venice and A Midsummer Night's Dream (UK and international tours).

Sound design is by Tom Meehan, whose credits include Events While Guarding the Bofors Gun (Finborough Theatre), Swallows and Amazons (UK tour) and Sixty-Six Books (Bush Theatre).

Fred's Diner contains strong language and themes some may find distressing; not suitable for children. Fred's Diner is supported by Pawprint Charitable Trust.

Fred's Diner is at Theatre on the Fly from tonight, 15 August – 2 September, Evenings 8pm, Matinees 3pm. Tickets £17, with concessions and day seats available. To book online, go to cft.org.uk/totf or contact the Box Office on 01243 781312.

Fly: Under – playwright Penelope Skinner and director Tim Hoare will be in conversation on Thursday 23 August at 6pm in Theatre on the Fly.

Fly: Over – a post-show discussion on Fred's Diner will take place on Thursday 30 August.

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