Stephen Tompkinson Stars In Mel Smith Play

Stephen Tompkinson, one of the country’s top television actors, stars in Mel Smith’s dazzling new production of a comedy classic. Written over 100 years ago, 'Charley’s Aunt' is one of the most popular and enduring comedies in the English language.

Up until the 1930s it was said that not a week went by without 'Charley’s Aunt' being performed somewhere in the world.

Now, this hardy perennial of English theatre returns to Richmond with a new twist to delight audiences!

Oxford, 1908 - undergraduates Jack and Charles are smitten by two most delightful young ladies, Kitty and Amy, but they can’t spend any time alone unless there is a female chaperone present. The imminent arrival of Jack’s mysterious but very wealthy aunt, Donna Lucia D’Alvadorez from Brazil (where the nuts come from!) provides the boys with the perfect excuse for a luncheon invitation.

However, the aunt is delayed and desperate not to miss the chance to see Amy and Kitty before they are whisked away to Scotland by their cantankerous guardian Mr Spettigue, it is left to fellow student (and aspiring actor) Lord Fancourt Babberley (Stephen Tompkinson) to save the day by impersonating her.

Flirting with the young ladies when he is supposed to be acting as a chaperone is amusing, but Babberley soon gets more than he bargained for when he has to fend off the attentions of Jack’s father and Mr Spettigue. Then, would you believe it, the real Donna D’Alvadorez decides to surprise her nephew by arriving in Oxford unannounced, and things simply go from bad to worse for the lovely Jack and Charles…

Stephen Tompkinson has just completed filming a second series of the series 'Wild at Heart' for ITV. His other credits include 'Ballykissangel', 'Ted and Alice', 'Prime Suspect' and 'Brassed Off' as well as 'Drop the Dead Donkey', for which he won the Best Comedy Actor Award.

Completing the cast are Nicholas Clayton, David Partridge, John Vine, Richard Syms, Michael Melia, Tatina De Marinis, Emily Pennant-Rea, Marty Cruickshank and Sophie Roberts.

'Charley’s Aunt' is directed by Mel Smith. Mel is no stranger to the play having directed Griff Rhys Jones in the Olivier Award winning production in 1984. Having recently adapted and starred in 'An Hour & A Half Late' at Richmond Theatre, other credits as director include the films 'The Tall Guy' starring Jeff Goldblum and Emma Thompson and 'Bean' starring Rowan Atkinson.

'Charley's Aunt'

By Brandon Thomas
Directed by Mel Smith

RICHMOND THEATRE
Monday 16 - Saturday 21 April
Monday - Saturday evenings 7.45pm
Wednesday and Saturday matinees 2.30pm

Tickets £13- £27

For more information: theambassadors.com