Menier Chocolate Factory Announces the English Language World Premiere of Florian Zeller's THE LIE

With The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾ The Musical currently running at the theatre and Funny Girl on tour nationwide, the Menier Chocolate Factory today announces the English language world première of Florian Zeller's The Lie in a translation by Christopher Hampton. The production sees the return of Zeller, Hampton and director Lindsay Posner to the Menier following the huge success of The Truth in 2016, which later transferred to the West End and was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Comedy.

Alice spots her friend's husband with another woman. Should she tell her friend the truth...or lie? Her husband Paul is convinced that it is better to lie. But in doing so, who is being protected and who suffers? Both find out that in matters of the heart, the line between the truth and a lie can be a dangerous one to cross.

Tickets go on sale to supporters of the Menier at 9am on 26 July, with public on sale at 9am on Wednesday 2 August.

Florian Zeller is a French novelist and playwright. His work has been translated into several languages. Zeller wrote his first novel, Neiges artificielles (Artificial Snow), when he was twenty-two years old. His second novel, Les Amants du n'importe quoi (Lovers or Something Like It), was well received but it was his third novel, La Fascination du pire (Fascination of Evil), which won the 2004 Prix Interallié, and which made him a household name in France. The book was selected for the Prix Goncourt. In addition to The Truth (Olivier nomination for Best New Comedy), The Father (which won the 2014 Molière Award for Best Play), The Mother (winner of the 2011 Molière for Best Comedy) - all adapted into English by Christopher Hampton - Zeller's other theatre credits include L'Autre, Le Manège, Si tu mourais (Prix Jeune Théâtre of the Académie Française), Elle t'attend, Une Heure de tranquillité and Le Mensonge. His other novels include Les Amants du n'importe quoi (Lovers or Something Like It); La Fascination du pire (The Fascination of Evil); Julien Parme and La Jouissance.

Christopher Hampton has translated plays by Ibsen, Molière, Chekhov, Yasmina Reza (including Art and Life x 3) and Florian Zeller's The Father, The Mother and The Truth. He won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for the adaptation of his own play, Les Liaisons Dangereuses (released as Dangerous Liaisons). He was nominated again in 2007 for adapting Ian McEwan's novel Atonement. His television work includes adaptations of The History Man and Hotel du Lac.

Lindsay Posner returns to the Menier Chocolate Factory having previously directed The Truth, Dinner with Saddam, Communicating Doors and Abigail's Party (also Theatre Royal Bath, Wyndham's and UK tour). His recent productions include The End of Longing (Playhouse and New York), Hay Fever (Duke of York's), Harvey (Theatre Royal Haymarket), Speed the Plow (Playhouse), Relatively Speaking (Wyndham's), A Little Hotel on the Side (Theatre Royal Bath), Other Desert Cities, The Winslow Boy and Noises Off (Old Vic), The Turn of the Screw (Almeida Theatre) and Uncle Vanya (Vaudeville). He was Associate Director of the Royal Court from 1987-1992 where his productions included Death and the Maiden (which transferred to the Duke of York's and won two Olivier Awards), Colquhoun and McBryde and The Treatment.

For more information and bookings visit www.menierchocolatefactory.com (£1.50 transaction fee per booking).

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