Francis Tucker may be known for his delicious partnership with Adam Keast in the annual Everyman / Playhouse rock’n’roll panto, but his new project isn’t exactly family audience stuff.
We can expect “bad language and scenes of a sexual nature” at the panto, but probably in a rather gentler manner to Tucker’s appearance in Robert Farquhar’s new comedy, Di Is Dead, which takes a look at the death of the People’s Princess that probably won’t result in a happy ending and singalong.
The play sees Tucker - who has a wide range of credits to his name, both around the city and nationally - take the role of an author attempting to write a book on the excesses of Britpop, but when Diana dies he finds the apoplexy of grief that grips the country an altogether more engaging subject.
The play has already enjoyed a run at the Lantern Theatre and is scripted by Farquhar - who wrote the startling, challenging Dead Heavy Fantastic, staged at the Everyman in 2011 - and has ties with local theatre companies such as Spike and Big Wow; Di Is Dead is presented by Peccadillo Theatre Company.
Di Is Dead will show in the intimate Playhouse Studio, which has gained a deserved reputation of staging provocative, locally-flavoured productions from within the E+P and with local companies - read our review of Held and The Matchbox, previously at the Studio.
Di Is Dead
Playhouse Studio
17 - 27 April
Image by Brian Roberts
Saw this last night - very strong indeed.