Tooting Arts Club revives Barbarians at former art school

Tooting Arts Club, who recently scored a hit with their pie shop staging of Sweeney Todd, are reviving their 2012 production of Barbarians by Barrie Keeffe at the former home of the influential Central Saint Martins School of Art.

Keeffe, whose 1977 trilogy chronicles the fluctuating fortunes of a group of disaffected young men, said the building on Charing Cross Road, which is due for demolition next year, is the "perfect home" for the production.

"When I wrote Barbarians I was trying to capture that energy of punk on the stage, so to have it performed at such an important building from that time is very exciting," he added.

Central Saint Martins, which relocated to King's Cross in 2011, was the scene of the first Sex Pistols gig in 1975, when they were thrown off stage after 20 minutes. Other famous alumni include Jarvis Cocker, Paul Simonon of The Clash, Shane MacGowan and Adam Ant.

Tooting Arts Club producer Rachel Edwards said: "We knew the venue for this production had to be right, and we sought long and hard for the right location.

"St Martins embodies the creativity and imagination of the young people of that era and, as such, it provides a perfect playground for the uncontained, rebellious energy of the young men we meet in Barbarians."

Running from 3 October to 7 November 2015 (previews from 29 September), Barbarians will be directed by Bill Buckhurst, who also helmed Sweeney Todd, and will star Thomas Coombes, Jake Davies and Josh Williams.

A limited number of tickets will be available at £10 for under-26s, students and the unemployed.