30 May – 3 June                       Read our review 1 June

The Way Old Friends Do, a new comedy about devotion, desire and dancing queens, is bound for the Theatre Royal Bath from Tuesday 30^th May to Saturday 3^rd June; written by Ian Hallard (The Boys in the Band) and directed by Mark Gatiss (Sherlock, Dracula, Doctor Who, The League of Gentlemen).

In 1988, two school friends tentatively come out to one another: one as gay, the other – more shockingly – as an ABBA fan. Nearly thirty years later, a chance meeting sets them on a brand-new path and they decide to form the world’s first ABBA tribute band – in drag! But can their friendship survive the tribulations of a life on the road which includes platform boots, fake beards and a distractingly attractive stranger?

Both tender and laugh-out-loud funny, this heartfelt story will appeal to anyone who understands how it feels to be a fan: of ABBA or of anyone. 

Actor and writer Ian Hallard plays the role of Peter, alongside Donna Berlin as Sally, James Bradshaw as Edward, Sara Crowe as Mrs Campbell, Andrew Horton as Christian and Rose Shalloo as Jodie. This wonderfully uplifting play also features the voices of Miriam Margolyes as Nan and Paul O’Grady as Radio DJ.

Ian Hallard’s screen credits include Doctor Who, Sherlock, Endeavour, The Power, The Crown, Poirot, Marple and the film Mary, Queen of Scots. On stage, he has appeared in The Boys in the Band in the West End, for which he received a WhatsOnStage Best Actor nomination; Great Britain and Scenes from an Execution at the National Theatre; The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe at West Yorkshire Playhouse; The Vote at Donmar Warehouse, and Donkeys’ Years on UK tour, including at Bath’s Theatre Royal in 2007, alongside Sara Crowe. As a writer, Ian’s previous plays, all of which opened in London, include Steenie at The Turbine Theatre, Horse-Play at Riverside Studios and Adventurous, produced online by Jermyn Street Theatre.

James Bradshaw, is best known on television for his role as Dr Max DeBryn, in ITV’s critically acclaimed drama Endeavour, in all nine series from 2012 to spring 2023. He played the roles of Gordon Grimley in The Grimleys and DS Geoff Thorpe in Hollyoaks. His television credits also include Doctors, Close to the Enemy, Lucan, Primeval IV, EastEnders, The Line of Beauty, Garrow’s Law, Casualty, Heartbeat and Oliver Twist. His film credits include Brideshead Revisited. James has performed in Breakfast at Tiffany’s in the West End, Plunder at the Watermill Theatre, The Hobbit on UK tour, The Wind in the Willows at the Birmingham Rep and House and Garden at the National Theatre.

Olivier Award-winner Sara Crowe makes a welcome return to Bath marking the eighteenth time she has appeared in a production at the Theatre Royal – after first appearing in Private Lives alongside Joan Collins in 1990, and most recently in Fallen Angels in 2014, How the Other Loves in 2017 and Sheila’s Island in 2022. Sara’s film, television and theatre credits include Four Weddings and a Funeral and roles in Born and Bred, EastEnders, Doctors and Midsomer Murders. Her acclaimed stage performances in the West End include the Noël Coward plays Private Lives, for which she won the Olivier Award winner for Best Supporting Actress, and Hay Fever, for which she was Olivier Award nominated for Best Comedy Performance.

Donna Berlin made her film debut in Pink Floyd’s The Wall at the age of 11. Most recently, she has played Inspector Zoya Okoro in Doctors, as well as roles in Nolly, The Clinic, The Breeders and EastEnders. Her many stage credits include The Clinic at the Almedia, The Chalk Garden at Chichester Festival Theatre, and UK tours of The Gift and Princess and the Hustler, which also played Bristol Old Vic.

Andrew Horton is best known on screen for his roles as Brandon Sampson and Paragon in the Netflix series Jupiter’s Legacy, first seen in 2021. His stage credits include the title role in The Picture of Dorian Gray for English Theatre in Hamburg and Jonathan Harker in Dracula on tour.

Rose Shalloo’s recent stage credits include A Christmas Carol at London’s Old Vic, the UK tour of Malory Towers, The Selfish Giant in the West End, A Pacifist’s Guide to the War on Cancer at the National Theatre and Fiddler on the Roof at Chichester Festival Theatre. Her screen credits include Call the Midwife, Holby City, The Scandalous Lady W, The Five, and the film Emma.

Director Mark Gatiss has a long and varied career as a director, writer and producer, and is also well known as an actor and published author. He is perhaps best known as a member of The League of Gentlemen and as the co-creator and executive producer of the multi award-winning BBC series Sherlock, in which he played Mycroft Holmes. He both wrote for and appeared in the modern revival of Doctor Who. As an actor, his recent screen work includes Mission Impossible 7, The Father, The Favourite, Wolf Hall and Game of Thrones.

To book tickets contact the Theatre Royal Bath Box Office on 01225 448844 or visit www.theatreroyal.org.uk

Photo credit: Darren Bell