First Look: The Ladykillers at The Watermill

Last night The Watermill opened its brand new production of The Ladykillers. which runs until Saturday 31 October.

Based on the much-loved Ealing Comedy, this award-winning stage adaptation was written by Graham Linehan, writer of Father Ted and The IT Crowd.

Criminal mastermind Professor Marcus and his gang of oddball villains, posing as musicians, meet their match when they take up residence in the top floor room of Mrs Wilberforce's dilapidated house. A convenient location to plan their heist, they figure their sweet-natured old landlady will be easily hoodwinked. But beneath her demure exterior, Mrs Wilberforce is made of sterner stuff and, with just her parrot, General Gordon, for moral support, she turns the tables on the bogus quartet.

The Ladykillers is directed by Lee Lyford, who returns to The Watermill having previously worked on the musical staging of Tuxedo Junction and The Devil and The Deep Blue Sea. Most recently he was movement director for the theatre's critically acclaimed, world premiere production of E.H.Gombrich's A Little History of The World.

The cast features Matthew Alexander (Constable Macdonald); John Biddle (Louis), Dermot Canavan (The Major), Harry Katsari (Harry), Paul Mundell(Professor Marcus), Marlene Sidaway (Mrs Wilberforce) and Alan Stocks (One-Round).

The new production is designed by Simon Kenny with lighting designed by Nick Richings and sound designed by Adrienne Quartly.

Please visit www.watermill.org.uk for more information and to book tickets.