Alan Ayckbourn’s Relatively Speaking for short run at the Milton Keynes Theatre prior to West End Transfer

Alan Ayckbourn’s hilarious comedy of misunderstandings, Relatively Speaking will run at the Milton Keynes Theatre between 6th - 11th May 2013. The show will then transfer to the West End's Wyndhams Theatre, opening on 20th May (previews from 14th May) and run until 28th June 2013. Relatively Speaking stars Felicity Kendal, Jonathan Coy, Kara Tointon and Max Bennett. This new production of Relatively Speaking was a big hit last Autumn with tickets selling out across the UK. 

"Greg only met Ginny a month ago but he has already made up his mind that she’s the girl for him. When she tells him that she’s going to visit her parents, he decides this is the moment to ask her father for his daughter’s hand. Discovering a scribbled address, he follows her to Buckinghamshire where he finds Philip and Sheila enjoying a peaceful Sunday morning breakfast in the garden. The only thing is - they’re not Ginny’s parents..."

Relatively Speaking was Alan Ayckbourn’s first great West End success and turned him into a household name. When the show opened at the Duke of York’s Theatre in 1967, the critics hailed the arrival of a great new comic talent. The original West End cast featured Celia Johnson and Michael Hordern, alongside Richard Briers playing the role of Greg, before he famously co-starred with Felicity Kendal in The Good Life. 

Much loved for her illustrious television and stage career, Felicity Kendal stars as Sheila. One of the UK’s most popular actresses, she has starred in many long-running series including The Good Life, Solo, The Mistress , Rosemary and Thyme, Strictly Come Dancing 2010 and Felicity Kendal’s Indian Shakespeare Quest. 

Jonathan Coy stars as Philip. His recent stage work includes the National Theatre productions of The Power of Yes and Democracy; the West End productions of Noises Off, Donkey’s Years, What the Butler Saw, Neville’s Island and in 2011 Much Ado About Nothing with David Tennant. 

Kara Tointon stars as Ginny. Best known for her long-running role as Dawn Swann in more than 330 episodes of EastEnders, she won BBC1’s Strictly Come Dancing in 2010. On stage, she made her West End debut in 2011 in Pygmalion with Rupert Everett, and starred in Ayckbourn’s Absent Friends in the West End in 2012. She recently starred in a new film of The Sweeney alongside Damian Lewis, Plan B and Ray Winstone. 

The role of Greg is played by Max Bennett, whose recent stage work includes the Royal Court production of Posh in the West End, In Basildon at the Royal Court, Luise Miller at the Donmar, Danton’s Death at the National Theatre and Waste at the Almeida. Last year he appeared in a new film adaptation of Anna Karenina. 

Lindsay Posner directs Relatively Speaking fresh from a string of plaudits for his productions of Noises Off at London’s Old Vic and Abigail’s Party in the West End; both of which also played the Theatre Royal Bath. He was Associate Director at the Royal Court Theatre from 1987 to 1992, where his production of Death and the Maiden won two Olivier Awards. His many West End productions include Butley; An Ideal Husband; A View from the Bridge, which was Olivier Award nominated for Best Revival and Best Director; and Fiddler on the Roof, which was Olivier Award nominated for Best Musical Revival. His production of Terence Rattigan’s The Winslow Boy is currently appearing at London’s Old Vic. In August, he will co-direct Feydeau’s A Little Hotel on the Side with Cal McCrystal for the Theatre Royal Bath’s 2013 Summer Season.

Click here to book tickets for the Milton Keynes run.

Click here to book tickets for the West End run (save £13 at selected performances) 

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