FRANCES BARBER TO LEAD WORLD PREMIERE OF
JEREMY DYSON AND ANDY NYMAN’S
THE PSYCHIC AT YORK THEATRE ROYAL
York Theatre Royal today announces Frances Barber will star as Rosa in the world premiere of The Psychic, a new play by writing duo Jeremy Dyson and Andy Nyman. After the international success of Ghost Stories, the pair bring their latest dark thriller to York Theatre Royal on 6 May 2026, with previews from 29 April 2026, and running until 23 May 2026. Jeremy Dyson previously worked with Barber on his BAFTA-nominated drama series Funland and the Rose d’Or-winning comedy series Psychobitches.
Jeremy Dyson and Andy Nyman’s twisty new thriller follows TV psychic Sheila Gold and is brought to the stage by a creative team including Rae Smith (Designer), Chris Fisher (Illusions Designer), Zoe Spurr (Lighting Designer), Nick Manning (Sound Designer), and Arthur Carrington CDG (Casting Director).
Creators Jeremy Dyson and Andy Nyman, said today, “We’re absolutely thrilled to be working with Frances again who is an extraordinary, one-of-a-kind talent. After working together on Funland and Psychobitches, we can’t wait to see her bring Rosa to life in this haunting new play.”
Full casting will be announced at a later date.
A York Theatre Royal production
THE PSYCHIC
Created by Jeremy Dyson and Andy Nyman
29 Apr 2026 – 23 May 2026
Cast includes: Frances Barber (Rosa)
Co-Directors: Jeremy Dyson and Andy Nyman; Designer: Rae Smith; Illusion Designer: Chris Fisher; Lighting Designer: Zoe Spurr; Sound Designer: Nick Manning; Casting Director: Arthur Carrington CDG
Popular TV psychic Sheila Gold loses a high-profile court case, which brands her a charlatan. It costs her not only her reputation, but a fortune in legal fees. When a wealthy couple ask Sheila to conduct a séance to attempt to make contact with their late child, Sheila senses an opportunity to bleed them for money. What follows makes her question everything she’s ever believed and leads her on a journey into the darkest corners of her life.
This twisted new thriller from the creators of the international smash hit Ghost Stories, brings thrills, laughs and shocks back to the stage – in the world Premiere of this electrifying and unmissable play.
Frances Barber plays Rosa. Her theatre credits include Musik (Wilton’s Music Hall/Leicester Square Theatre/Edinburgh Festival Fringe), The Unfriend (Wyndham’s Theatre/Criterion Theatre/Chichester Festival Theatre), Hamlet (Theatre Royal Windsor), An Ideal Husband (Vaudeville Theatre/Theatre Royal Bath), Madame Rubinstein (Park Theatre), The School for Scandal (Lucille Lortel Theatre, NYC), What the Butler Saw (Mark Taper Forum, LA), Julius Caesar (Donmar Warehouse/St. Ann’s Warehouse, NYC), Les Parents Terribles (Donmar Warehouse at Trafalgar Theatre), That Face (Sheffield Theatres), Afterplay (King’s Theatre, Edinburgh/ The Gate Theatre, Dublin), Madame de Sade (Donmar at Wyndham’s), King Lear, The Seagull (RSC/International tour), The Dead Monkey, Love’s Labour’s Lost, Hamlet (RSC) Antony & Cleopatra (Shakespeare’s Globe), Aladdin (The Old Vic), One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (Gielgud Theatre/Edinburgh Festival Fringe), Tales from Vienna Woods, Pygmalion, The Night of the Iguana (National Theatre), Closer to Heaven (Arts Theatre – WhatsOnStage Award for Best Actress), Closer (Lyric Theatre), Uncle Vanya (Chichester Festival Theatre/UK tour), and Insignificance (Donmar Warehouse). Her television credits include Whitstable Pearl (as series regular Dolly Nolan), The Chelsea Detective, Dreamland, Inside No. 9, Dodger, Cold Feet, Silk, Doctor Who, and The Street; and for film Trick or Treat, Mr. Holmes, Goal!, and Goal II: Living the Dream.
Jeremy Dyson is an award-winning writer and director.His writing credits include Ghost Stories – nomination for Olivier Award for Best Entertainment, The League of Gentlemen are Behind You, The League of Gentlemen: A Local Show for Local People – nomination for Olivier Award for Best Entertainment), and The League of Gentlemen. His co-writing credits for television include Psychobitches – winner of the Rose d’Or for Best TV Comedy and nominations for two British Comedy Awards, The Armstrong & Miller Show – winner of the BAFTA Award for Best Comedy, Billy Goat, Funland – nomination for the BAFTA Award for Best Drama Serial, The League of Gentlemen – winner of the BAFTA Award for Best Comedy, Golden Rose of Montreux and RTS Award for Best Entertainment); and his co-writing credits for film include Ghost Stories and The League of Gentlemen’s Apocalypse.
Andy Nyman is an award-winning actor, director and writer. As an actor, his theatre work includes The Producers (Menier Chocolate Factory/Garrick Theatre), Assassins, Terrible Advice (Menier Chocolate Factory), Fiddler on the Roof (Menier Chocolate Factory/Playhouse Theatre – Olivier Award nomination for Best Actor in a Musical), Abigail’s Party (Menier Chocolate Factory/Wyndham’s Theatre), Hello, Dolly! (The London Palladium), Hangmen (Wyndham’s Theatre/Golden Theatre, NYC), and Ghost Stories (Duke of York’s Theatre/Arts Theatre) – which he starred in, co-wrote and co-directed with Jeremy Dyson – later adapted into a film, in which he also starred. His television credits include Hanna, Wanderlust, The Eichmann Show, Campus, Crooked House, Dead Set, and Peaky Blinders; and for film, Wicked: Part 1, Jungle Cruise, Judy,The Commuter, Death at a Funeral, Kick-Ass 2, Black Death, The Brothers Bloom, Severance and Shut Up & Shoot Me (Best Actor Award at the Cherbourg Film Festival). He has collaborated with Derren Brown for almost 20 years, co-writing and co-creating much of Brown’s early TV work; and his co-writing and directing credits for Brown’s shows include XX , Derren Brown – Something Wicked This Way Comes – winner of the Olivier Award for Best Entertainment, and Derren Brown – Secret (New York Drama Desk Award for Best Unique Theatrical Event.
LISTINGS
THE PSYCHIC
York Theatre Royal
St Leonard’s Place, York YO1 7HD
www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk
Box Office: 01904 623568
THE LAST PICTURE
York Theatre Royal
5 February – 14 February 2026
HOME, Manchester
18 – 21 February 2026
www.homemcr.org
Bristol Old Vic, Bristol
24 – 28 February 2026
www.bristololdvic.org.uk
Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford
5 – 7 March 2026
THE SECRET GARDEN – THE MUSICAL
17 March – 4 April 2026
THE PSYCHIC
29 April – 23 May 2026
Tickets from £15
BSL Interpreted performance Friday 15 May at 7:30pm
Audio Described performance Saturday 16 May at 2:30pm
Captioned performance Saturday 23 May at 2:30pm