SIMON LIPKIN JOINS DAN SKINNER IN THE WORLD PREMIÈRE OF
BRIAN & ROGER – A HIGHLY OFFENSIVE PLAY,
OPENING THE MENIER CHOCOLATE FACTORY’S NEW SPACE – THE MIXING ROOM
With the critically acclaimed Tony Award-winning Indecent currently playing on the main stage, the Menier Chocolate Factory today announces that Simon Lipkin joins Dan Skinner in Brian & Roger – A Highly Offensive Play inspired by Skinner and Harry Peacock’s hit podcast Brian & Roger. Artistic Director of the Menier David Babani directs the production which previews from 22 October. The production opens the company’s new smaller studio space, The Mixing Room, runs until 18 December. Lipkin replaces Peacock who has withdrawn from the production on medical advice.
Harry Peacock said today, “I’m enormously grateful to Simon for stepping in at such short notice to enable the run of Brian & Roger to go ahead as planned at the Menier. Stepping back from the show was an incredibly difficult decision, but ultimately the right one for my health and the production, and I can’t wait to enjoy the show from the comfort of the auditorium. There may however be action if he’s better than me…”
David Babani added, “Harry and Dan have created an incredibly funny, rude, genius podcast, and have brought all of that to the stage. It’s with Harry’s blessing that we welcome Simon back to the Menier to join Dan and bring this piece to life on the stage, and we’ll continue to have Harry’s support and brilliance as we move forward to production.”
Simon Lipkin commented, “Can you please go away. I’m trying to learn my lines.”
THE MIXING ROOM
The Menier Chocolate Factory presents
The world première of
BRIAN & ROGER – A Highly Offensive Play
Written by Harry Peacock and Dan Skinner
Director: David Babani; Set and Costume Design: Robert Jones;Video Design: Timothy Bird
Lighting Design: Paul Anderson; Sound Design: Gregory Clarke
22 October – 18 December
Brian and Roger met at a support group for recently divorced men. Roger was attending because he was genuinely grieving the loss of his marriage. Brian was instructed to attend by his solicitor if he wanted to dodge paying alimony. Roger is in need of guidance and support, which Brian willingly supplies. Both are starting again. Both are finding it hard. One of them is nice.
Described as ‘Best British comedy happening right now’ (Daily Telegraph), the original podcast Brian & Roger was written and performed by Harry Peacock and Dan Skinner. It was produced by Marc Haynes and Joel Morris for Great Big Owl.
Simon Lipkin returns to the Menier, having previously appeared in Assassins. His other theatre work includes Ghost Stories (Lyric Hammersmith and Ambassadors Theatre), All in a Row, As You Like It (Southwark Playhouse), Nativity! The Musical, Spamalot, The Wedding Singer (UK tours), The Wind in the Willows, Honeymoon in Vegas, I Can’t Sing (London Palladium), Whisper House (The Other Palace), Guys and Dolls (Phoenix Theatre), Oliver! (Grange Park Opera), Miss Atomic Bomb (St James Theatre), The Lorax (The Old Vic), I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (Above the Arts), Rock of Ages (Shaftesbury Theatre), Alice in Wonderland (Nuffield Southampton), A Christmas Carol (Arts Theatre), Austentatious (Landor Theatre), and Avenue Q (Noël Coward Theatre). For television, his work includes Doctor Who and The Amazing World of Gumball; and for film, Show Dogs, Nativity 3: Dude, Where’s my Donkey?!, and Nativity Rocks!.
Harry Peacock’s theatre credits include Henry IV (Parts 1&2), His Dark Materials, Cyrano de Bergerac (National Theatre), Macbeth (Chichester Festival Theatre), The Low Road, Chicken Soup with Barley (Royal Court Theatre), The Ladykillers (Gielgud Theatre), The Cherry Orchard (Birmingham Rep Theatre), As You Like It (Sheffield Crucible). His previous television credits include Toast of London, Star Stories, The Kennedys, Kingdom; and for film, Gulliver’s Travels, Far from the Madding Crowd, Cinderella the Musical and Judas.
Dan Skinner often appears as comedy character Angelos Epithemiou and is a member of the British five-man sketch troupe Dutch Elm Conservatoire. His theatre credits include Angelos Epithemiou: Live at the O2 (Soho Theatre), Angelos and Barry: A Matter of Life and Death (Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2018), The Warp (Wol Wontok) and Dutch Elm Conservatoire (Soho Theatre/Latchmere Theatre). His previous television credits include The Angelos Epithemiou Show, My Family, Friday Night Dinner, Tracey Ullman’s Show, Katy Brand’s Big Ass Show and Not Going Out; and for film, The Spy Who Dumped Me, Swallows and Amazons, and Horrible Histories.
Age recommendation 16+
LISTINGS INFORMATION
MENIER CHOCOLATE FACTORY
53 Southwark Street, London, SE1 1RU
INDECENT
Until 27 November
BRIAN & ROGER
22 October – 18 December
HABEAS CORPUS
3 December 2021 – 26 February 2022
Box Office: 020 7378 1713 (£2.50 transaction fee per booking)
Website: www.menierchocolatefactory.com (£1.50 transaction fee per booking)
Tickets: Prices vary, as below from discounted preview tickets to premier seats. With the emphasis on ‘the sooner you book, the better the price’:
Please note at this time the restaurant is unable to open due to circumstances beyond the company’s control.
www.menierchocolatefactory.com
Twitter: @MenChocFactory
Instagram: @menierchocolatefactory