Lindsay hopes for full house with MIF Winner

Best known as Rover’s Return barmaid Shelley Unwin – Sally Lindsay will be hoping for another full house when she appears in the world premiere of the Neil Bartlett-directed theatrical extravaganza, Everyone Loves A Winner – a major new production for the 2009 Manchester International Festival, which will see the Royal Exchange’s auditorium transformed into a bingo hall from Wednesday 1 July to Saturday 1 August.

Designer Miriam Buether plans to remove much of the seating on the stage level of the auditorium to accommodate an authentic bingo hall set and will also install a range of slot machines in the theatre’s Great Hall foyer space to add to the experience. Audiences will have the chance to play for a top cash prize – or simply sit back and watch the action unfold.

The cast also includes Ian Pulseton-Davies as Frank, whose numerous TV credits include Funland and Conviction.

The production marks a return to the Festival for writer and director Bartlett, who received massive acclaim for his MIF production of The Pianist in 2007 (which is returning to Manchester for a limited run at the Royal Exchange from 17 to 27 June).

Co-created by Struan Leslie (choreography and movement) and Simon Deacon (music), the creative team also includes Chris Davey (lighting), Steve Brown (sound) and Charmian Hoare (dialect coach).