Theatre

Jonathan Lynn and Antony Jay have reunited after 24 years to write a bang up-to-date Yes Prime Minister for the stage.

Spin, BlackBerrys, sexed-up dossiers, sleaze, global warming and Europe on the brink of a financial meltdown form the background to mayhem at Chequers as the Foreign Minister of Kumranistan makes a seriously compromising offer of salvation. Prime Minister Jim Hacker, narrowly re-elected, remains in power with his coterie of close advisors including cabinet Secretary Sir Humphrey Appleby and Principal Private Secretary Bernard Woolley.. but for how long?  They govern a whole new world.

The play premiered at the Festival Theatre, Chichester, in May 2010 and will be transferring to the Gielgud Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue in London's West End.  Previews will begin on September 16th.

The cast at Chichester was as follows, and it is expected that they will all be repeating their performances at the Gielgud Theatre:

Henry Goodman as Sir Humphrey Appleby
David Haig as Prime Minister Jim Hacker,
Jonathan Slinger as Bernard Woolley,
Emily Joyce as Claire Sutton, Head of the Policy Unit at Number 10
Sam Dastor as the Ambassador from Kumranistan
William Chubb as the Director-General of the BBC
Tim Wallers as BBC interviewer Simon Chester.

Designer: Simon Higlett
Lighting: Tim Mitchell
Sound Consultant: John Leonard
Casting Director: Gabrielle Dawes
Assistant Director: Tim Hoare

Director: Jonathan Lynn

The play is published by Faber and Faber ( www.faber.co.uk )