Eclair & Grumpy Old Women 2 Go Live at Novello

Following extensive touring last year, Jenny Eclair and her “grumpy old women” will return to the West End this spring for a second helping of grumbling. Grumpy Old Women Live 2 – Chin Up Britain will have a limited season from 14 April 2010 at the Novello Theatre, where it’s booking through to 5 June.

Inspired by the BBC Two series and the Grumpy Old Women Official Handbook, Grumpy Old Women Live is billed as “an orgy of middle-aged mayhem”, including “a belly full of new grumps and handy hints on getting through these hard times the grumpy way” and “Grumpometer tests” for measuring grumpiness levels.

The original live show had a West End stint at Shaftesbury Avenue’s Lyric Theatre in 2006 (See News, 24 May 2006). In this follow-up, the “original grump” Jenny Eclair is joined by Wendi Peters and Susie Blake.

Grumpy Old Women Live is co-written by Eclair with Judith Holder, producer of the TV series. The new production is directed by Owen Lewis and designed by Susannah Henry, with lighting by Matt Veitch and sound by Nick Manning. It’s presented by Avalon Promotions and Liberty Bell Productions.

The original TV series attracted 4.8 million viewers per episode during the first series, and five million for its Christmas specials. It’s billed as “a celebration of the pre, peri and post-menopausal female condition”. The first live show had its stage debut in 2005, while this sequel debuted on tour in 2009.

Currently at the Novello Theatre, Debbie Allen’s all-black production of Tennessee Williams’ Cat on a Hot Tin Roof – led by James Earl Jones], Phylicia Rashad, Adrian Lester and Sanaa Lathan – is due to complete its season on 10 April 2010, having opened on 1 December 2009 (previews from 21 November).