One month left to see The Unfriend
Written by Jamie Griffiths on February 8, 2024
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhSbZS2W_ww
One month left to see The Unfriend
08-02-24
With less than five weeks of performances remaining, the limited season of Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss’ record breaking comedy collaboration, The Unfriend must come to an end on Saturday 9 March. Final tickets are on sale now. Playing to packed houses, the production has recouped its investment and discovered an audience of theatre goers who are relishing a night of popular comic theatre. In the opening weeks of the production over 45% of audiences were first time visitors to a Delfont Mackintosh Theatre.
The run at London’s Wyndham’s Theatre follows the success of the box office record breaking run at The Criterion Theatre in Spring 2023. The Unfriend has sold over 50,000 tickets and played over 100 performances in the West End so far, with a nationwide UK tour currently being planned.
The cast is led by award-winning comedian and actor Lee Mack (Would I Lie To You, Not Going Out, Inside No. 9) as Peter, Sarah Alexander (Jonathan Creek, Green Wing, Smack The Pony and Coupling) as Peter’s wife, Debbie, Frances Barber (Silk and Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool) as Elsa Jean Krakowski and Nick Sampson (Witness for the Prosecution, Anthony and Cleopatra) as The Neighbour.
They are joined by Muzz Khan (Behind The Beautiful, Ten (Stop The War)) as PC Junkin, Maddie Holliday (Afterlife, The Unfriend at the Criterion) as Rosie and Jem Matthews as Alex in his West End debut.
Frances Barber, Sarah Alexander, Lee Mack and Jem Matthews – credit Manuel Harlan
The company is completed by Christopher Jordan (Hedda Gabler at The Old Vic, The Unfriend at the Criterion) as understudy Peter/The Neighbour, Cathy Walker (Witness for the Prosecution, The Unfriend at the Criterion) as understudy Debbie/Elsa, Charlie Richards (The Play That Goes Wrong, Four Score Years And Ten) as understudy Alex/PC Junkin and Poppy Shepherd (Our Generation) as understudy Rosie.
While on holiday Peter and Debbie befriend Elsa: a lusty, Trump-loving widow from Denver, USA. She’s less than woke but kind of wonderful, so they agree to stay in touch – because no one ever really does, do they?
When Elsa invites herself to stay with the family a few months later, they decide to look her up online. But it’s too late: on learning the truth about Elsa Jean Krakowski, the deadly danger is already on a flight to London! What began as a casual holiday friendship is suddenly a threat to all their lives.
Peter and Debbie now face the ultimate challenge of the modern world – how do you protect all that you love from mortal peril without seeming a bit impolite?
Because guess who’s coming… to MURDER.
The Unfriend is designed by Robert Jones, with lighting by Mark Henderson, sound by Ella Wahlström, video design by Andrzej Goulding and casting by Charlotte Sutton CDG. The Unfriend by Steven Moffat was originally developed by Playful Productions.
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