6 – 11 February
Miles Jupp and Justin Edwards star in The Lavender Hill Mob as the 24 carat comedy caper tours to Bath’s Theatre Royal.
This fast-paced comedy tells the story of Henry Holland, an unassuming bank clerk who dreams of stealing the van full of gold bullion he drives across London each day. When Henry learns that his new lodger makes Eiffel Tower paperweights out of lead, he devises a plan to make his dream a reality. It’s a golden opportunity to pull off the crime of the century. They’d have to be fools to mess it up…
Based on the much-loved Ealing Comedy by T.E.B. Clarke, The Lavender Hill Mob is adapted for the stage by Olivier-nominated playwright Phil Porter and directed by Tony and Olivier-nominated Jeremy Sams.
Miles Jupp’s career has taken him from genre-defining British television comedies including BAFTA Award-winning Rev. and The Thick of It to the National Theatre and Hollywood. On BBC Radio 4, he chaired twelve series of The News Quiz, wrote the sitcom In And Out Of The Kitchen, which was also adapted into a TV show, and played retired Prime Minister Henry Tobin in Party’s Over. His theatre credits include The Life I Lead, which played Bath’s Theatre Royal in 2019, Neville’s Island in the West End and Rules For Living and People at the National Theatre. His television credits also include A Very British Scandal, The Durrells, The Crown, Howards End, Balamory, Watership Down and Bad Move. His film work includes Journey’s End. He also played Bath in 2016 with his stand-up comedy tour Songs of Freedom. Miles has written three books, including the novel History, and has also contributed to many panel shows.
Justin Edwards’ career also spans television, film, stage and radio. His many screen credits include This England for Sky Atlantic, Armando Ianucci’s Avenue 5 for HBO, The Thick of It for BBC and the films 1917, Paddington and Yesterday. His stage credits include The Ferryman on Broadway and in the West End, The Comedy of Errors at the RSC, and comedy show Jeremy Lion, For Your Entertainment at London’s Menier Chocolate Factory. Justin is a regular voice on BBC Radio 4 as an actor and presenter with credits including The Consultants, Cabin Pressure, Where This Service Will Depart, Party’s Over and The Unbelievable Truth.
Guy Burgess, who plays Farrow, has previously performed at the Theatre Royal Bath in Titus Andronicus in 2002 and The Merchant of Venice and Volpone in 1991. Tessa Churchard, who appears as Lady Agnes, was last seen at the Theatre Royal in The Good Life in 2021 and has previously played Bath with The Peter Hall Company in Don Juan, Man and Superman and Galileo’s Daughter in 2004. John Dougall, who plays Sir Horace, has previously appeared at the Theatre Royal in The Girl On The Train in 2019. Tim Sutton appears as Sammy, Victoria Blunt plays the role of Audrey, Aamira Challenger appears as Fernanda, with Steven Rostance, Sharon Adugna and Phil Wilcocks completing the cast.
The Lavender Hill Mob was a hit with cinema goers when it was released in 1951 starring Alec Guinness, Stanley Holloway and Sid James, as well as Audrey Hepburn in one of her earliest screen appearances. Directed by Charles Crichton, it won the BAFTA Award for Best British Film in 1952 and the Academy Award for Best Writing, Story and Screenplay in 1953. It was ranked by the BFI as one of the greatest British films of all time and was restored and re-released in UK cinemas in 2011 for its sixtieth anniversary.
Phil Porter’s playwriting credits include The Boy with Two Hearts at the Wales Millennium Centre and the National Theatre; Vice Versa, The Christmas Truce, A Mad World My Masters and The Tempest for the RSC; The Miser in West End, which was Olivier Award-nominated for Best New Comedy and opera libretti including Pinocchio at the Royal Opera House.
Jeremy Sams is a director, composer and writer. His numerous directing credits include the National Theatre’s West End and Broadway revival of Noises Off in 2000, the West End musicals The Wizard of Oz and Spend, Spend, Spend, the international tour of The Sound of Music, Oklahoma! at Chichester Festival Theatre, The Wind in the Willows at London’s Old Vic, and The King and I at the Royal Albert Hall.
The Lavender Hill Mob appears at the Theatre Royal Bath from Monday 6th to Saturday 11th February. Tickets are on sale at the Theatre Royal Bath Box Office on 01225 448844 and online at www.theatreroyal.org.uk
Photo credit: Hugo Glendinning
