Joe Orton's breathtaking farce is set in the examining room of Dr Prentice, whose interest in his female patients is far from clinical.

When the physician, his wife, his secretary, a medical inspector, a policeman and a porter collide, skeletons positively tumble out of the closet and the cases of mistaken identity and multiple personality pile up at break-neck speed.

Throw in a spot of transvestism, and the search for the missing parts of a statue of Sir Winston Churchill and you have all the ingredients for an hilarious evening out. Just what the doctor ordered!

Philip Wilson returns to one of his favourite genres following his critically-acclaimed productions of Corpse! at the Playhouse and of Noises Off at Liverpool Playhouse.

Barry Aird (Taming of the Shrew, Bristol Old Vic; Speaking Like Magpies, Royal Shakespeare Company) plays Sergeant Match; Natalie Grady (See How They Run, West End; Rafta, Rafta, The National Theatre) plays Geraldine Barclay; Melanie Jessop (David Copperfield, Sheffield Crucible; Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare's Globe) plays Mrs Prentice; Michael Camp (Cabaret, Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury; Saint Joan, The National Theatre) plays Nicholas Beckett; Christopher Good (For Services Rendered, Watermill Theatre, Newbury; Charley's Aunt, Oxford Stage Company) plays Dr Rance; Kenneth Price (Blue/Orange and Tramping Like Mad, Theatre by the Lake) plays Dr Prentice.

Design is by Matthew Wright, whose recent work includes Shadowlands, in the West End, together with Philip Wilson's productions of Alphabetical Order at Salisbury Playhouse. For tickets, ring 01722 320333.

2:46pm Saturday 26th April 2008

Print

Email this