Continuing its Comedy Gold season, Royal & Derngate presents the 50th anniversary production of Alan Ayckbourn’s Mr Whatnot, a wonderfully silly tale of havoc and mayhem!
Alan Ayckbourn is one of the country’s most loved and prolific playwrights, and following on from its the success of its Ayckbourn At 70 Season in 2009, Royal & Derngate have chosen to stage Mr Whatnot. This side-splitting play – Ayckbourn’s first to transfer to the West End – combines a tribute to the physical comedy of the silent movie era with the very British obsessions with class, cucumber sandwiches and bed-hopping.
In this hilarious fish-out-of-water tale, a naïve but highly imaginative piano tuner is summoned to the stately home of Lord and Lady Slingsby-Craddock. A case of mistaken identity leads to an increasingly surreal series of encounters over a summer weekend of tennis matches and afternoon tea, as Mr Whatnot attempts to win the affections of their debutante daughter Amanda. (Think Mr Bean goes to Downton.)
Mr Whatnot is directed by Cal McCrystal, physical comedy director for the award-winning National Theatre production, One Man, Two Guvnors. Cal also directed the production of Cooped which was recently enjoyed by Royal & Derngate audiences.
Mr Whatnot is on the Royal stage of the Royal & Derngate from Friday 15 March to Saturday 6 April.
Note: As part of Made In Northampton Subscription Season, significant savings are available for customers booking a package of three or more shows.
Box Office: 01604 624811 or online: www.royalandderngate.co.uk
