World Stage Premiere From BAFTA Winning Writer, Performed by Christopher Fairbank, Set for Birmingham Repertory Theatre

BAFTA Award-winning writer, Geoff Thompson's personal and haunting new play, The Pyramid Texts will be making its world stage premiere at Birmingham Repertory Theatre from 26 to 30 May. It will be performed by the prolific British actor, Christopher Fairbank and directed by twice Oliver Award-nominee, Michael Vale.

"I've got so much to say to you kid. So much unsaid. What I didn't teach you, what I was afraid to teach you, was that everyone is full of fear, some people just hide it better than others. We are all afraid."

Alone in a boxing gym, with a video camera, there is one last thing that Ray has to do. Recording the lessons learned from a lifetime in the ring, he is forced to lower his guard and face the consequences of feelings buried for years beneath his hardened exterior.

Geoff Thompson was born in Coventry and is a BAFTA-winning screenwriter, playwright and author. He has written forty books, published in 21 languages. He is also the author of hundreds of articles appearing in national magazines and broadsheets, including The Times, GQ and FHM.

Geoff's previous plays include: Doorman (Liverpool Everyman, Plymouth Theatre Royal and National Tour) and Fragile (Coventry Belgrade and Edinburgh Festival). Screenplays includes: Bouncer (BAFTA award nominated), Brown Paper Bag (BAFTA Award winner); Romans 12:20 (Best Short, Arpa International Film Festival, Best International Short Film at the New York International Independent Film & Video Festival, The Grand Prize at The Rhode Island International Film Festival and the Long Form Award at Rushes Soho Shorts Festival), Last Will, and a feature film of The Pyramid Texts, directed by the Shammasian Brothers and starring James Cosmo.

Christopher Fairbank trained at RADA. He is perhaps best known for his role as Moxey in the hit comedy-drama series Auf Wiedersehen, Pet. His many other screen credits include TV dramas Merlin, Doctor Who, Borgen, New Tricks, Ashes To Ashes and Tess Of The D'Ubervilles and films, Hercules, Pirates Of The Caribbean and Guardian Of The Galaxy. His many theatre credits include: Caucasian Chalk Circle, A Christmas Carol and Curse Of The Starving Class (Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh); Not A Game For Boys, Etta Jenks, The Lucky Chance (Royal Court Theatre); Hamlet (Riverside Studios); Back Up The Hearse (Hampstead Theatre) and Blues For Mr Charlie (Sheffield Crucible).

Michael Vale has designed the sets and costumes for over 180 theatre and opera productions both in the UK and abroad including those he has directed. Companies he has worked with include: the Royal Shakespeare Company; National Theatre; the Royal Opera House; English National Opera; Glyndebourne Festival Opera; the Royal Court and many more. His work has been nominated for two Olivier Awards; an Irish Times Theatre Award; a Manchester Evening News Theatre Award; a Charrington Fringe First Award and an Off West End Theatre Award.