Stage: Relatively Speaking

Ayckbourn at the Theatre Royal

Relatively Speaking, Alan Ayckbourn’s first great West End success, is beautifully crafted, wonderfully funny and charmingly English, and when the show opened at the Duke of York’s Theatre in 1967, the critics hailed the arrival of a great new comic talent.

Beautifully crafted and funny

This new production from Theatre Royal Bath Productions stars Robert Powell and Liza Goddard, two of our most highly regarded TV and stage actors, and is the Theatre Royal Brighton’s opening show of the Theatre’s glittering autumn season. Directed by Robin Herford (The Woman in Black) it promises to be a joyfully funny take on one of Ayckbourn’s funniest plays and the one which turned him into a household name.

Greg only met Ginny a month ago but has already made up his mind that she’s the girl for him. When she tells him that she’s going to visit her parents, he decides this is the moment to ask her father for his daughter’s hand. Discovering a scribbled address, he follows her to Buckinghamshire where he finds Philip and Sheila enjoying a peaceful Sunday morning breakfast in the garden, but the only thing is – they’re not Ginny’s parents.

Robert Powell received multiple awards and a BAFTA nomination for his portrayal of Jesus in Franco Zeffirelli’s Jesus of Nazareth. His extensive stage performances include Alan Bennett’s Single Spies, Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell and most recently in the brilliant King Charles III playing the title role to brilliant effect.

Liza Goddard is one of the UK’s favourite actresses. Her extensive range of Ayckbourn credits includes Life of Riley, Communicating Doors, Season’s Greetings, Life and Beth and If I Were You.

They are joined by Lindsey Campbell as Ginny and Anthony Eden as Greg.

Director Robin Herford’s numerous credits include Ayckbourn’s Bedroom Farce and Season’s Greetings, Rain Man, The Secret of Sherlock Holmes and The Hound of the Baskervilles and the phenomenally successful stage adaptation of The Woman in Black – a production which has now celebrated 25 years in the West End and been seen by over seven million people. Theatre Royal Bath Productions are one of the most highly regarded producers of touring and West End productions.

Theatre Royal Brighton
Mon 5 – Sat 10 Sept
www.atgtickets.com/brighton
0844 871 7650 (bkg fees apply)