Donna Air Withdraws, Manners Steps into Watcher

Television presenter Donna Air has had to withdraw from a new production of Jeremy Paul’s psychological drama The Watcher, following an accident which has left her with a broken leg. The two-hander, already deep in rehearsals and originally due to open next week, has been saved by Sarah Manners (The Bill, Casualty, Strictly Come Dancing, Mile High), who has stepped in to star alongside Jon Shaw.

The run at Waterloo East Theatre – originally scheduled for 11 March to 2 April 2011 (previews from 8 March) – has been slightly delayed as a result and will now be 23 March to 23 April (previews from 21 March).

The Watcher, directed by Roger Martin, is described in marketing material as a tale of power, status and gender politics. Promising to examine the abuse of power by those in authority, the play sees two characters navigate the fine line between fact and fiction before drawing to an “unexpected conclusion”.

A BAFTA and EMMY award winning writer whose TV credits include Upstairs DownstairsLovejoy, Hetty Wainthropp Investigates and Midsomer Murders, Jeremy Paul’s other theatre credits include The Little Match Girl and The Secret of Sherlock Holmes, was revived last summer in the West End starring Peter Egan and Robert Daws. The Watcher premiered at the Edinburgh Festival in 2006.