Gossip

Hair of the Dog for Finborough Hangover???

The 55-seat Finborough Theatre has another sell-out hit on its hands. Its revival of Hangover Square, Fidelis Morgan’s adaptation of Patrick Hamilton’s 1941 novel, continues until 2 August 2008, but most dates were booked up long before the rave reviews it received after opening on 11 July (previews from 9 July).

The advance word of mouth was no doubt helped by some savvy packaging for its local audience in Earl’s Court, where the story itself is set and where Hamilton himself also lived (See News, 19 Jun 2008). The story of obsession and addiction centres on alcoholic George Harvey Bone, who becomes hopelessly infatuated with a callous young actress named Netta. The strong cast features Matthew Flynn as Bone and Claire Calbraith and Caroline Faber sharing the role of Netta.

But the Finborough has been riding high beyond this single production, with other recent hits including premieres of Evening Standard drama critic Nicholas de Jongh’s Plague Over England and the Fenton Gray musical When Midnight Strikes, as well as two more plays, Frank McGuinness’ Gates of Gold and Jack Thorne’s Fanny and Faggot, both of which transferred to the West End Trafalgar Studios 2. A likely home for a second Hangover?

** FOR OUR REVIEW OF HANGOVER SQUARE & OTHER OFF-WEST END & FRINGE SHOWS, VISIT www.whatsonstage.com/offwestend **