YES, PRIME MINISTER Transfers To The West End, Opens Sept 27

The world premiere of Jonathan Lynn and AnTony Jay's play Yes, Prime Minister will open at the Gielgud Theatre, London on 17th September 2010, following a record-breaking run at Chichester Festival Theatre. The production will retain original cast members Henry Goodman as Sir Humphrey Appleby and David Haig as Prime Minister Jim Hacker.

AnTony Jay and Jonathan Lynn, the original writers of the classic TV series Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister have reunited for this anniversary production.

Prime Minister Jim Hacker and Cabinet Secretary Sir Humphrey Appleby face a country in financial meltdown. The only prospect of salvation comes from morally dubious allies - leading to deliciously comic consequences.

Sir Humphrey Appleby is played by Henry Goodman whose recent theatre credits include Duet For One, Fiddler on the Roof and Feelgood. He received Olivier Awards for Best Actor in 1993 for Assassins, and in 2000 for Trevor Nunn's production of The Merchant of Venice. Recent screen credits include the films The Damned United and the Ang Lee comedy Taking Woodstock.

Prime Minister Jim Hacker is played by David Haig who recently featured in the latest series of the award-winning BBC political comedy The Thick of It. His other screen credits include Mo, My Boy Jack (which he also wrote, originally for the stage), The Thin Blue Line and Four Weddings and a Funeral. Haig's theatre credits include West End productions of Donkey's Years, Mary Poppins and Hitchcock Blonde. He won an Olivier Award in 1988 for Actor of the Year in a New Play for Our Country's Good.

AnTony Jay has enjoyed a distinguished career as writer, broadcaster and producer. He was founder and editor of the BBC's legendary Tonight programme, is the editor of The Oxford Dictionary of Political Quotations, and author of Elizabeth R and two acclaimed documentaries on the Royal Family. He is a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order.

Jonathan Lynn's prolific career spans more than four decades as a director, screenwriter, producer and actor in films, television and theatre, as well as best-selling author and novelist. As well as co-writing, he will be directing this stage version of Yes, Prime Minister. His film credits as director include Wild Target (due for release this Spring), The Whole Nine Yards, The Fighting Temptations, The Distinguished Gentleman, My Cousin Vinny and Nuns on the Run (which he also wrote).

Jay and Lynn's BAFTA award-winning political comedy Yes, Minister first aired on BBC2 in 1980 and ran until 1984. The sequel, Yes, Prime Minister ran from 1986 until 1988.

Lynn and Jay also wrote three novels, The Complete Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister, Volumes 1 and 2, which cumulatively sold more than a million copies in hardback, were on the British top-ten bestseller list for three years and have been translated into numerous languages.

The production is designed by Simon Higlett, Associate Designer at Chichester, where his previous work includes The Circle, Taking Sides/Collaboration (which transferred to the West End) and The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (which also transferred to the West End and toured nationally and internationally). Lighting Design is by Tim Mitchell, Associate Lighting Designer at Chichester, who has previously lit Oklahoma!, The Grapes of Wrath, Cyrano de Bergerac and A Small Family Business for Chichester.

The West End transfer of the Chichester Festival Theatre production of Yes, Prime Minister is produced by Mark Goucher, Wimpole Theatre and Matthew Byam Shaw for Playful Productions.

First preview: Friday September 17th at 7.30pm
Press previews: September 23rd, 24th and 25th at 7.30pm
Gala performance: Monday September 27th at 7.30pm
Performances: Monday - Saturday at 7.30pm; Wednesday and Saturdays at 3pm
Booking until: Saturday January 15th 2011

Tickets £20 - £52.50
www.yesprimeminister.co.uk

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