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Tuesday & Woman Extend in Jan, Stomp Carries On

Two comedies have this week announced extensions to their limited West End seasons.

At the Theatre Royal Haymarket, the revival of Oscar Wilde's classic A Woman of No Importance has extended by three weeks, while Francis Veber's See U Next Tuesday, which has just been nominated for a Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers' Choice Award for Best New Comedy (See News, 28 Nov 2003), has added a fortnight to its run at the Albery Theatre.

Wilde's 1893 social satire tells the story of a woman who keeps her past a secret in order to protect the reputations of herself and her son. This new production of A Woman of No Importance, directed by RSC artistic director Adrian Noble, features an all-star cast led by Rupert Graves, Prunella Scales, Samantha Bond, Joanne Pearce and Tipping the Velvet's Rachael Stirling, daughter of Diana Rigg. It opened on 16 September 2003 (previews from 10 September) and is booking up to 31 January 2004.

The British premiere of Veber's French comedy Le Diner de Cons is adapted by Ronald Harwood. Irish comedian Ardal O'Hanlon, of Father Ted fame, makes his West End debut playing the fool in the Robin Lefevre production which also features Nigel Havers, Patsy Kensit, Patrick Ryecart and Geoffrey Hutchings. It opened on 2 October 2003 (previews from 17 September) at the Albery, where it's now taking bookings up to 25 January 2004.

Meanwhile, at the Vaudeville Theatre, dance extravaganza Stomp has added a further four months to its schedule and is now taking bookings up to 30 May 2004. The show, which originated in Brighton in 1991, has toured all over the world but only started its first West End run last year, opening at the Vaudeville Theatre on 28 September 2002 (previews from 24 September).

Stomp transforms the junk and clutter of urban life into a source of rhythm and dance. In 100 minutes of pure theatricality, a cast of eight performers use boots, bins, garbage, zippo lighters, plumbers' plungers and everything including the kitchen sink to hammer out a symphony.

- by Terri Paddock

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