Peter Bowles and Adam Riches Lead STOP!...THE PLAY Premiere, Beginning Tonight in the West End

Former Reduced Shakespeare Company members John Schwab and Tim Beckmann are to present the world premiere of Stop!... The Play, a madcap, theatrical comedy by David Spicer, in which the worst night in the theatre becomes the most hilarious play in town.

Stop!... The Play will open in the West End at Trafalgar Studio 2 for a 4-week season from today 2 June - Saturday 27 June. Press night: Wednesday 3 June at 7.45pm

Act 1 is set in the rehearsal room as five neurotic actors, one inexperienced director and an overworked stage manager, battle with the task of mounting what is surely the world's most terrible play. Act 2 is the hysterically chaotic first night.

The production starts out as a worthy (if slightly dull) English kitchen sink drama, The Dark Heart of Art, about a struggling artist. But then daily rewrites start arriving from the persistently absent writer. Characters are cut, new characters are introduced... everything changes from day to day. The cast battles to keep up. But instead of making the play better, the rewrites make it worse, and crazier. The Dark Heart of Art becomes a shockingly sexual pseudo-psycho drama called Banksy Ain't Gay - a masterclass in appalling modern playwriting. (Anyone who has ever sat through anything which describes itself as 'edgy', 'experimental', 'controversial' or 'shocking' will recognise it with a shudder).

Laughs come thick and fast as the worst night in the theatre becomes the most hilarious play in town.

The cast features Adam Riches (2011 Foster's Edinburgh Comedy Award winner) as The Leading Man, Peter Bowles (To the Manor Born) as The Seasoned Veteran, Tosin Cole (Hollyoaks) as The Hollywood Cameo, Hatty Preston (The Royals) as The Leading Lady, Hannah Stokely (Skyfall) as The Perennial Co-star, Charlie Cameron (National Theatre Macbeth) as The Stage Manager and Ben Starr (Survivor) as The Director.

David Spicer has written stand-up and TV material for comedians including Jasper Carrott, Armstrong & Miller and Michael Barrymore. His extensive radio writing includes the acclaimed sitcom Double Income No Kids Yet with David Tennant and Kind Hearts & Coronets with Alistair McGowan. His first stage play, God Save the Mad Parade, is out on national tour early next year.

Director John Schwab. Producer Tim Beckmann for Hatch It. Casting Director Kate Plantin CDG.

For more about the production, visit www.stoptheplay.com. The show will preview in The Studio at Fairfield Halls, Croydon Tuesday 26 May - Saturday 30 May 2015 at 7.30pm. Box Office: 0208 688 9291 | www.fairfield.co.uk.

DETAILS:

STOP!... The Play

Trafalgar Studios 2

4 Whitehall

London

SW1A 2DY

Tuesday 2 June - Saturday 27 June

Press night: Wednesday 3 June at 7.45pm

Performances:

Monday - Saturday at 7.45pm

Thursday and Saturday at 3.00pm

Box office: 0844 871 7632

www.atgtickets.com

Tickets: £15.00 - £25.00

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