LARRY Will Premiere at Salisbury Playhouse in February
Tim Whitnall's play will be directed by Gareth Machin and features an ensemble cast of seven actors and two children sharing over 50 roles.
The Wiltshire Creative and New Wolsey Theatre production of Larry, by BAFTA and Olivier award-winning playwright Tim Whitnall, will see its premiere in February 2027 at Salisbury Playhouse.
Larry charts comedy icon Larry Grayson's showbiz odyssey from trailblazing drag artiste to host of the BBC's The Generation Game. Unable to “sing, dance or act”, Larry perfected a unique comic style to become a national treasure.
Tim Whitnall, Larry writer, said: “The moment I unearthed Larry Grayson's enchanting story I was convinced that it contained all the right ingredients to turn it into a stage-play; side-splittingly funny yet powerfully affecting and frequently surprising in equal amounts.
I firmly believe that Larry will appeal not only to those who fondly remember a unique comic genius in his pomp, but also to a contemporary audience who will doubtless find parallels and resonances with their own lives.
Larry Grayson's tongue-in-cheek view of himself as a “living, breathing, walking mistake” is one with which so many of us can identify. If Larry had a sub-title, then “to thine own self be true” would apply in spades.”
A hilarious yet poignant tale of subterranean lows and stratospheric highs, Larry reflects on the beauty of dreams and the power of determination.
But behind the glitter lies a rich and moving story of enduring bonds, and the painful scars of being gay in a time of criminalisation and stigma.
The audience will be taken backwards and forwards through time by Larry himself as he recounts his life and times. Join the comedy legend as he 'opens that door' on the most momentous performance he will ever give.
Director Gareth Machin will lead a diverse, versatile ensemble cast of seven actors and two children who'll be sharing over 50 roles between them. The inventive play includes songs performed live, featuring a number of nostalgic tracks.
Rehearsals start at Salisbury Playhouse in January 2027, ahead of its premiere performance on 11 February. It will run in Salisbury until 6 March before transferring to New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich from 10 to 20 March.
Gareth Machin, Larry Director and Artistic Director at Wiltshire Creative, said: “In the early 1980s, Saturday night for many families meant tuning in to Larry Grayson's The Generation Game which, at its peak, attracted an audience of 25 million. Larry's camp, deliciously naughty but never crude humour connected with families up and down the country, paving the way for comedians such as Alan Carr and Julian Clary.
We're delighted to be working with our friends at New Wolsey Ipswich to bring this new play about Larry's life by BAFTA and Olivier Award winning writer, Tim Whitnall, to life. Expect an evening full of heart, laughter and song.”
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