The Crown Jewels to run in the West End and tour with Al Murray, Carrie Hope Fletcher, Mel Giedroyc and more 

Al Murray, Mel Giedroyec, Carrie Hope Fletcher, Neil Morrissey, Joe Thomas, Aidan McArdle, and Tanvi Virmani are set to star in the upcoming West End production of The Crown Jewels.

The play is based on a true story about one of the most audacious heist attempts in British history. The star-studded cast will bring the piece to life at the Garrick Theatre from July 7 to September 16, 2023, before embarking on a regional tour. Tickets for the West End are on sale now. 

The Crown Jewels tells the story of Colonel Blood, a charismatic and unpredictable figure who plans to steal the Crown Jewels in plain sight with the help of his gang of misfits. 

The play is written by BAFTA-nominated creator Simon Nye, who is known for his work on ITV’s The Durrells and BBC One’s Men Behaving Badly. It is directed by multi-award winner Sean Foley, who has worked on shows such as Upstart Crow.

The cast includes Murray, who is known for his character the Pub Landlord, Giedroyc from The Great British Bake Off, Fletcher from Les Misérables and Heathers, Aidan McArdle from Leopoldstadt, Neil Morrissey from Men Behaving Badly and Line of Duty, Joe Thomas from The Inbetweeners, and Tanvi Virmani from Life of Pi.

Nye said: “I hope audiences will be as titillated and thrilled as I am at the prospect of a riotous comedy-drama about a crown jewels heist that really happened. True crime comes to the West End, 350 years after the event. The cast is an amazing array of comedy talent, and the subject matter absurdly topical. Satire, sword-fighting, love, violence, an examination of the monarchy and Anglo-Irish relations – could you ask for anything more?”

Producer Simon Friend added: “The Crown Jewels came out of a mad idea that Simon Nye and I cooked up during lockdown, fantasising about shows we could make if theatres were to ever reopen. We’re incredibly lucky that such a talented cast, with Sean as director, have gathered around for this hilarious play about a famous heist that went awry, and we look forward to bringing some laughter to the West End this summer.”

The creative team behind the show includes Foley, Nye, set and costume designer Michael Taylor, lighting designer Natasha Chivers, and sound designer Andy Graham.

The show is produced by Friend in association with Adam Kenwright, Trafalgar Theatre Productions, Jenny King, Gavin Kalin, David Adkin, and JAS Productions.

Tour stops are Salford, Canterbury and Cardiff, across September and early October. 

Tickets are on sale right now – get them here.