Theatre News

Doctor in the House tours UK with Pasquale & Powell

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19 January 2012

Doctor in the House, the 1952 novel that has been adapted many times in many mediums, will embark on a national theatre tour this spring starring Joe Pasquale and Robert Powell.

Written by Richard Gordon and Ted Willis, Doctor in the House is the comedic story of Simon Sparrow, a medical student who has just begun a five-year internship at St. Swithin’s Teaching Hospital. Giving insight to what it’s truly like in medical school, the story was based on Gordon’s actual experiences.

The play is brought to life by award-winning director Ian Talbot, known for his 20 years as artistic director at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre. Talbot has many directing credits to his name: The Yeomen of the Guard, High Society, The Pirates of Penzance, Anything Goes and Lend Me a Tenor among them.

The cast is led by funnyman Joe Pasquale, the stand-up veteran who has leant his distinctive voice to several Hollywood such as Garfield: A Tale of Two Kitties and Horton Hears a Who! His theatre credits include The Producers and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. Aside from acting roles, ITV also named him King of the Jungle after he won its reality series I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here.

Alongside Pasquale is Robert Powell, who has myriad credits on both stage and screen. He was both nominated for a BAFTA award and named TV Times Best Actor for his portrayal of Jesus Christ in the Jesus of Nazareth series. His film role as Richard Hannay in The Thirty Nine Steps also led to a television series based on the same character ten years later. Gaining television stardom through popular sitcom The Detectives, Powell became a regular in UK medical drama Holby City for six years before his return to theatre.

Powell and Pasquale are joined by Gay Soper (Matron), most recently seen in Lend Me a Tenor, and who will soon be playing a short stint in Pippin at the Menier Chocolate Factory.

Emma Barton (Vera) and Tom Butcher complete the cast. Barton, who is known for her three-year television career on EastEnders, recently played Roxie Hart in the UK tour of Chicago, while Butcher held the role of PC Steve Loxton for seven years in The Bill.

The tour opens at the Churchill Theatre, Bromley, on 20 March 2012, before visiting venues including Theatre Royal, Windsor, Malvern Festival, Nottingham Theatre Royal, Kings Theatre Southsea, Venue Cymru Llandudno, Chelmsford Civic, Sheffield Lyceumre, Richmond Theatre, Theatre Royal Plymouth, Grand Theatre Wolverhampton, New Brighton Pavillion, Theatre Royal Newcastle and Colchester Mercury. It concludes 21 July 2012 at Cheltenham Everyman Theatre.

Doctor in the House will be produced by Jamie Wilson with designs by Paul Farnsworth and lighting by James Taylor.

– McKenzie Kramer