Sarah Crowe, Daniel Hill and More Star in Jermyn Street Theatre's ON APPROVAL, Beginning Tonight

Jermyn Street Theatre presents ON APPROVAL by Frederick Lonsdale, directed by Anthony Biggs with designs by Cherry Truluck and lighting design by David W Kidd. The production will run tonight, 9 April - 4 May 2013 at Jermyn Street Theatre. Press Night 11 April 7.30pm.

Jermyn Street Theatre presents the first major revival in nearly twenty years of Frederick Lonsdale's On Approval. The Olivier Award winning actress Sarah Crowe, who was last seen at the theatre in the UK premiere of Henrik Ibsen's St John's Night will play Maria Wislake alongside Louise Calf, who was also part of the Ibsen cast, as Helen Hayle. Daniel Hill will play Richard Halton whilst Peter Sandys-Clarke will play George, The Duke of Bristol.

On Approval opened in London at The Fortune Theatre in 1927, following an acclaimed run on Broadway. It ran for over a year and was one of the hits of its day. The play has since been adapted for the big screen twice, in 1930 and 1944, the latter of which prompted filmmaker Lindsay Anderson to describe it as "the funniest British light comedy ever made". This April, Jermyn Street Theatre stages the first major revival of this delightful comedy of manners in nearly twenty years.

A spoiled rich widow takes her prospective husband away to her remote Scottish estate to try him out for a month "on approval". The pair are pursued by an impoverished aristocrat and his wealthy and beautiful young admirer. When the staff jump-ship, leaving the party to fend for themselves, tempers become more than a little frayed. As the weather worsens they are left with a dwindling supply of brandy, a dwindling supply of cigars and only each other for company. Only then do they discover just how unpalatable they find one another.

On Approval is Anthony Biggs' first production since becoming Artistic Director of Jermyn Street Theatre at the beginning of this year. His previous productions at the theatre include the UK premiere of Ibsen's St John's Night, Charles Morgan's The River Line and Ibsen's Little Eyolf. The production builds on these and Jermyn Street Theatre's other recent successes, including Trevor Nunn's acclaimed production of Samuel Beckett's All That Fall starring Eileen Atkins and Michael Gambon, the musical Boy Meets Boy and a rare revival of Charles Dyer's Mother Adam. On Approval will be followed at Jermyn Street Theatre by And In The End The Death and Life of John Lennon by Alexander Marshall (7 May - 1 June) and Socrates and his Clouds by William Lyons inspired by Aristophanes (4 - 22June).

Jermyn Street Theatre presents ON APPROVAL, Monday to Saturday 7.30pm and Saturday matinees 3.30pm. Tickets are £20.00 £16.00 Concessions. Earlybird Offer - Tickets just £15.00 if booked before 18 March. Box office 0207 287 2875 and online at www.jermynstreettheatre.co.uk.

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