30 January – 7 March

The 2026 Built by Barn season will kick off with the world premiere stage adaptation of  “one of the most successful British comedies of all time” (Telegraph) MEN BEHAVING BADLY. 

Written by Simon Nye, Men Behaving Badly’s original writer, and directed by Joseph O’Malley, Men Behaving Badly: The Play will play at the Barn from Friday 30 January until Saturday 7 March 2026.

Four old friends and a wedding in the morning – what could possibly go wrong?  

London, 31st December, 1999. Gary’s clinging to his youth, Dorothy’s had enough, Deborah’s got a plan, and Tony’s…still Tony. The world is bracing for Y2K as our favourite foursome prepare for their own Big Day, but when resolutions clash with revelations, the gang might just prove that the real millennium bug… is them.  

Expect pints, fireworks, and a complete lack of adult supervision as we return to the flatmates where the TV series left off. 

Ross Carswell will play Gary, with Matt Howdon as Tony. Ellie Nunn takes on the role of Dorothy and Tricia Adele-Turner plays Deborah. Neil Jennings appears as Ken, with Valerie Antwi as Eve.

Director Joseph O’Malley said, “I’m delighted to be joining Simon Nye in bringing one of Britain’s best loved comedies to the stage for the first time. The misadventures of Gary, Tony, Dorothy and Deborah have always held a special place in my heart, and I can’t wait to bring these much-loved characters to a 2026 audience. To me this show is a celebration of friendship, of the 90s and of the healing power of sitting on a sofa with people you love and talking absolute rubbish. Less doomscrolling and social media anxiety, more real human interaction and, of course, bad behaviour!”

Barn Theatre, 3 Beeches Rd, Cirencester, GL7 1BN

This listing appears on our front page until 11:55pm on Saturday March 7th, 2026