Theatre News

1st Night Photos: Kelly Brook’s Model Fat Pig Debut

Kelly Brook marked her West End debut last night (20 October 2008, previews from 13 October) in Neil LaBute’s Fat Pig at the Comedy Theatre, where guests who turned out to support her included fellow models Keeley Hazel and Zoe Hobbs, actress Martine McCutcheon, Brook’s former Strictly Come Dancing instructor Brendan Cole, and her current boyfriend, rugby player Danny Cipriani.

Brook – who is best known as a TV presenter, model and, previously, the on-off fiancée of Hollywood’s Billy Zane – has acted in a number of film roles, including School for Seduction, Sorted and the 2003 remake of The Italian Job. She previously appeared on the London stage, playing exotic dancer Anya in Eye Contact at Riverside Studios in 2000.

In Fat Pig, she joins other new cast members, Katie Kerr in the title role, Nicholas Burns and Kevin Bishop, best known to TV fans from TV comedy sketch shows including The Kevin Bishop Show and Star Stories.

Set in a nameless US city, Fat Pig revolves around Tom (Burns), who faces the indignation of his work friends Carter (Bishop) and Jeannie (Brook) when he introduces them to his new, super-sized girlfriend Helen (Kerr). Can Tom come to terms with his own preconceptions of the importance of stereotypical good looks in the face of such disdain?


TO SCROLL THROUGH ALL OF THE NEW FAT PIG CAST’s 1ST NIGHT PHOTOS,
JUST CLICK ON THE “NEXT >” LINKS BELOW THE FOLLOWING FRAME.
PHOTOS BY DAN WOOLLER FOR WHATSONSTAGE.COM.

For 1st Night Photos, our Whatsonstage.com photographer Dan Wooller was on hand for the post-show party at The Kingly Club along with the Fat Pig company, author/director Neil LaBute and other first night guests.

The UK premiere production opened on 27 May 2008 (previews from 16 May) at Trafalgar Studios, where it finished on 6 September before reopening at the Comedy on 11 September. The play had its world premiere at the Off-Broadway MCC Theatre in 2005. This new production is presented by Howard Panter for ATG, Broadway producer Barry Weissler and Anna Waterhouse.

Neil LaBute’s other plays include The Shape of Things, Some Girls, The Mercy Seat, The Distance from Here, Bash, This Is How It Goes and In a Dark Dark House, which will receive its UK premiere, starring David Morrissey, next month at the Almeida Theatre, where four of his previous plays have had their first UK outings (See News, 27 Jun 2008).

– by Terri Paddock