Johnson Completes Comedy Trilogy at RNT
Date: 1 June 1998
Terry Johnson directs the world premiere of his new play Cleo, Camping, Emmanuelle and Dick which stars Antony Sher and opens at the RNT's Lyttelton Theatre on 10 September 1998 (previews from 4 September). With this latest play, Johnson completes a trilogy about sex and comedy, which includes Unsuitable Adults and Dead Funny. The trilogy, and the latest in particular, taps into the British comedy tradition exemplified in the Carry On film series, which celebrates the 40th anniversary of its first film this year.
Filming is not as glamorous as it's cracked up to be. It's a miserable business if your caravan leaks, your co-star is a manic depressive, and those younger women aren't so young anymore. Cleo, Camping, Emmanuelle and Dick takes some familiar faces and gets a bit more familiar still with them. Sidney, Kenneth and Barbara are about to take on the most challenging roles of their careers - themselves.
Antony Sher plays 'Sidney'. Sher returns to the National following his Tony and Olivier Award-winning performance in Stanley; other RNT credits include Uncle Vanya, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ai, The Trial and True West. For the RSC, Sher's extensive work includes Cyrano de Bergerac, Travesties, Tamburlaine the Great and his award-winning Richard III.
Terry Johnson is an accomplished playwright and director. He directed his own Dead Funny at the Hamsptead, Vaudeville and Savoy Theatres, winning Critics' Circle, Writers' Guild and Time Out awards. His other plays include Insignificance which he also recently directed at the Donmar Warehouse, and Hysteria which won the 1993 Olivier Award for Best Comedy and was revived as part of the Royal Court Classics season. Johnson also adapted and directed Edward Ravenscroft's Restoration comedy The London Cuckolds, which continues to run at the Lyttelton and on tour.
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