Photo Flash: In Rehearsal for THE MENTALISTS, Starring Stephen Merchant & Steffan Rhodri

Rehearsal images have been released of BAFTA and Golden Globe Award-winning writer, comedian and actor Stephen Merchant (The Office, Extras, Hello Ladies) and critically acclaimed actor Steffan Rhodri (Gavin & Stacey, Harry Potter, Posh) as they prepare to open wickedly funny comedy The Mentalists, which runs for a strictly limited season at the Wyndham's Theatre from Friday 3 July to 26 September.

This new production of The Mentalists, is written by Richard Bean, writer of the smash hit comedy One Man, Two Guvnors and directed by Abbey Wright.

Ted (Stephen Merchant) has a master plan to revolutionise the world - and with help from his best friend Morrie (Steffan Rhodri) and his video camera, it may just go global! But Morrie begins to suspect that Ted's in trouble as unpaid bills and cryptic phone calls start to mount; and as the world closes in, there is only one way out, in this hilarious, sharply written and touching comedy.

Well-known for his collaborations with Ricky Gervais, including popular television shows The Office, Extras, Life's Too Short and An Idiot Abroad, Stephen Merchant recently starred in Dan Mazer's hit British comedy film I Give It A Year alongside Rose Byrne and Rafe Spall. Merchant wrote, directed and performed Hello Ladies, an international stand-up comedy tour which he went on to re-create as a television series for HBO including HBO special Hello Ladies - The Movie. In a career that has seen Merchant accept four BAFTA awards, four British Comedy Awards, a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy Award for his television work, The Mentalists will mark both his theatrical and West End debut.

Steffan Rhodri was last seen in the West End in Laura Wade's Posh and Alan Ayckborn's Absent Friends, both in 2012. On television, Rhodri became a household name portraying Dave Coaches in Gavin & Stacey for three years between 2007 and 2010. Most recent television credits include Under Milk Wood for the BBC and Channel 4's Cucumber and the critically acclaimed Shakespeare's Hollow Crown series Henry VI and Richard III for the BBC.

Since writing The Mentalists, originally part of the Transformation season in 2002 at the National Theatre, Richard Bean has gone on to score West End successes with One Man, Two Guvnors and Great Britain, both directed by Nicholas Hytner. Most recently, Bean wrote the book for Made In Dagenham, which premiered at the Adelphi Theatre in 2014, starring Gemma Arterton and directed by Rupert Goold.

Directed by Abbey Wright, The Mentalists will feature Scenic Design by Richard Kent, Lighting Design by David Plater, and Casting by Anne Vosser.

The Mentalists is produced by Old Vic Productions, Smith & Brant Theatricals, Steven Harris and Sam Levy in association with Jimmy Jewell Ltd andCaitlin Albery Beavan.

Photos by Helen Maybanks

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