Comedian Julian Clary, together with actor James Nelson-Joyce, will star in the world premiere of the two-handed black comedy, Le Grand Mort this autumn.
Directed by Christopher Renshaw, Le Grand Mort will run at Trafalgar Studios from 20th September until 28th October.
The play was been written specially for Julian Clary by the late four-time Olivier Award nominated writer, Stephen Clark. The British playwright, librettist and lyricist died in Octber 2016.
Le Grand Mort sees characters Michael and Tim sit down to dinner at Michael’s house; an occasion that turns into a series of mind games as both men try to unravel the reasons why they are both there.
Clary will play Michael, a role the comedian and entertainer says will take him ‘so far out of his comfort zone he may never return.’
He said: “In 2010 Stephen Clark took me out to lunch in Camden and told me he’d like to write a play for me. How lovely, how flattering, how unusual! Over the following few years I got the occasional email from Stephen saying ‘I haven’t forgotten the play!’ but I decided he’d probably thought better of it. Then, one day in 2013, it arrived. A funny, dark, beautiful play…Le Grand Mort.”
Clary became a household name in the late 1980s, and remains a popular entertainer in the UK. He has appeared on numerous TV shows including Sticky Moments, Terry and Julian, Strictly Come Dancing, QI, Have I Got News For You and Celebrity Big Brother, which he won in 2012.
Joining Clary will be Nelson-Joyce, who recently starred as James Yates in Little Boy Blue, ITV’s four-part drama about the murder of Rhys Jones in Liverpool in 2007. He has also appeared in Cilla, Mount Pleasant and Shameless.
The Le Grand Mort creative team comprises director Christopher Renshaw; production designer Justin Nardella; lighting designer, Jamie Platt; sound designer, Edward Lewis; and producer and casting director, Danielle Tarento.
Group travel organisers can enquire about group tickets by visiting www.atgtickets.com/shows/le-grand-mort.
(Photo credit: Tony Briggs).
