Theatre News

Chichester Minister Bound for Gielgud, 17 Sep

| London's West End |

11 June 2010

The Chichester Festival Theatre production of Yes, Prime Minister will transfer to the West End’s Gielgud Theatre from 17 September 2010 (with a gala performance on 27 September).

The comedy, adapted from the classic TV sitcom by original scriptwriters Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn (who also directs), will succeed the award-winning Broadway revival of Hair.

Yes, Prime Minister, which transfers replete with stars Henry Goodman and David Haig, opened to strong reviews in Chichester last month (See Review Round-up, 25 May 2010). It finished its limited run there on 5 June.

Prime Minister Jim Hacker (Haig), Cabinet Secretary Sir Humphrey Appleby (Goodman) and his Principal Private Secretary Bernard Woolley face a country in financial meltdown, with the only prospect of salvation coming from morally dubious allies – leading to “deliciously comic consequences”.

According to the Daily Mail the play was initially hoping to replace Sweet Charity at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, but looked elsewhere due to an increase in ticket sales for the Menier Chocolate Factory production.

The West End transfer of the Chichester Festival Theatre production of Yes, Prime Minister is produced by Mark Goucher, Wimpole Theatre and Matthew Byam Shaw for Playful Productions.