Helen Lederer Stars In New Stage Comedy

Comedienne Helen Lederer will star in the world premiere of, 'Wake Up and Smell The Coffee', a sassy new comedy exploring animal food, animal sex and the fear of being devoured, which is to receive its world premiere at the New End Theatre, Hampstead, from Wednesday April 4 - Sunday April 22.

Harry has a serious sleeping disorder... he keeps falling asleep. Set in the contemporary watering hole, the coffee shop, Harry the once successful predator in the boardroom and bedroom is fast becoming the prey. Harry prides himself on being an alpha male, but in the jungle not all creatures play by the rules. After mating, the female preying mantis chews off the head of the male. Harry had better wake up and smell the coffee because someone is stalking him... and he is on the menu for lunch!

From Helen Lederer’s early days at the world-famous Comedy Store - to creating the ‘Girl at the Bar’ in BBC’s ‘Naked Video’, not to mention ‘Catriona’ in five series of ‘Absolutely Fabulous’ - she has starred in many top TV and radio shows including ‘One Foot in the Grave’, ‘Bottom’ and ‘The French and Saunders Show’.

Helen has presented many thought-provoking programmes including ‘Heaven and Earth’ (BBC), ‘Falling in Love Again’ and ‘Here’s one I Made Earlier’, a celebration of Blue Peter for the BBC .She co-hosted ‘Wogan’, has been team captain on ‘Going For A Song’ and appeared several times on Ruby Wax’s TV show as a ‘foil’ for Ruby’s guests.

Helen is a regular guest on various Radio 4 panel games, especially where a mix of humour with knowledge is required, including ‘The News Quiz’, ‘A Good Read’, ‘Just A Minute’, ‘Open Book’ and presenter for ‘Home Truths’, standing in for the late John Peel. More recently Helen has appeared in the West End in ;’The Vagina Monologues’.

She premiered her own sell-out show ‘Finger Food’ at the 2006 Edinburgh Festival. Apart from slots on BBC Radio 4’s ‘Woman’s Hour’, Helen is writing a new comedy drama called ‘Grapes of Wratham’. She has a regular column in ‘Woman and Home’ magazine as well as contributing to ‘The Mail on Sunday’, ‘The Daily Telegraph’ and ‘The Independent’.

Wake Up And Smell The Coffee
Wednesday 4th April to Sunday 22nd April
Tuesday to Saturday at 7.30pm Saturday and Sunday matinees at 3.30pm
Tickets £18.00 £15.00 (concessions)

New End Theatre, 27 New End Hampstead, London NW3.