BAFTA-nominated BBC TV sitcom
‘Waiting for God’ takes to the stage.
Waiting for God delighted TV audiences across five primetime BBC series in the 1990s. The all-new stage version is penned by the sitcom’s creator Michael Aitkens and ends its UK tour at The Lowry Mon 3 – Sat 8 July.
All the favourite characters from the original series of Waiting for God are re-imagined for 2017, starring Jeffrey Holland as Tom Ballard and Nichola McAuliffe as Diana Trent.
Facing the challenges that come with growing old disgracefully in the era of the silver surfer. Battle-axe extraordinaire Diana Trent conspires with new resident Tom Ballard to give the conniving manager his comeuppance with unexpectedly heart-warming results at Bayview Retirement Home.
When asked if he thinks social attitudes have changed since writing Waiting for God for TV Micheal Aitkens said;
“Yes, I think our views on age have changed quite dramatically in the 27 years since the series was first onscreen, When I was growing up, my parents’ generation retired at 65, put their feet up for five years and then died. But now we just keep rocking on. I have this theory that a lot of us have linked our lives to Mick Jagger’s. So long as Mick can keep getting out there, so long as Keith doesn’t fold up, we’re okay. It’s the Jagger Syndrome: if Mick goes, a lot of us will follow the next week.
“The play is set in 2017 not the Nineties, Diana uses a laptop and there are smartphones but I think the main change is in how the audience perceives the characters. Back then, the idea that older people should think and behave like Diana and Tom may have seemed outrageous. Now they’re more of the norm and hopefully the audience will identify with that.”
The cast will also feature Joanna Bending as Sarah Chase, David Benson as Geoffrey Ballard, Peter Cadden as Dennis Sparrow, Samuel Collings as Harvey Baines and Emily Pithon as Jane Edwards as well as Corinna Marlowe and Anna Westlake.
Waiting for God is produced by James Seabright, an Olivier Award winning theatrical producer and general manager. The new stage production is directed Tony Award winning David Grindley.
Listings
Waiting for God
Date: Mon 3 – Sat 8 July
Times: 7.30pm. Wed & Sat 2.30pm.
Tickets: £28.50 – £33.50. Conc £3 off (Selected performances only)
Website