Stage: April In Paris

Classic comedy from John Godber comes to the Theatre Royal Brighton this July

John Godber will go down as one of the best and most prolific playwrights of his time, and justifiably so too. His ability to create works that probe modern life in a way that is revealing and thought provoking whilst simultaneously entertaining and often comic is second to none. He is a chronicler of modern mores that are often more than one expects. John Godber is now the third most performed playwright in the UK, after William Shakespeare and Alan Ayckbourn. His plays are performed across the world, with Bouncers being the most popular.

His play April In Paris comes to Brighton’s Theatre Royal this month, and gives us the opportunity to see Shobna Gulati and Joe McGann as they star in the UK tour of this bittersweet comedy.

Al and Bet’s relationship is on the rocks. He has recently lost his job, whilst she works in a shoe shop and can only dream of a better life. But things are about to change … when Bet wins a romantic night in Paris, the ‘city of love’, Al wonders who she’ll take with her. Resigned to taking her husband, Paris actually reignites their relationship as never before, but the reality of returning home looms large.

This hilarious romantic adventure, featuring John Godber’s unique brand of observational comedy, was nominated as Comedy of the Year in the Olivier Awards.

Shobna Gulati is best known for playing Anita in Victoria Wood’s Dinnerladies, and Sunita Alahan in Coronation Street from 2001 to 2006, a role to which she returned briefly at the end of 2009. Since then, she has been a panellist on ITV’s Loose Women.

Joe McGann became a household name as Charlie Burrows, the ‘housekeeper’ in hit TV comedy series The Upper Hand which ran for six years. His major stage roles include Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls, Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof and Ray Say in The Rise and Fall of Little Voice.

April In Paris at Theatre Royal Brighton, Tue 22 – Sat 26 July Eves 7.45pm
Thu & Sat mats 2.30pm
Box office: 0844 871 7650
www.atgtickets.com/brighton