Ben Miller and X Factor's Diana Vickers cast in The Duck House at Vaudeville Theatre
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London Theatre Direct
It has been announced that Ben Miller will lead an all-star cast in the West End premiere of The Duck House. The play is a new comedy set in a world of dodgy receipts, dodgier deceit, and pure Parliamentary panic.
The production will begin previews at the Vaudeville Theatre on 17th November 2013 before officially opening on 10th December. The Duck House will also star Olivier Award Winning Actress Nancy Carroll, Debbie Chazen, James Musgrave and Simon Shepherd as well as X Factor contestant Diana Vickers.
Tony and Olivier Award winner Terry Johnson will direct this hilarious political satire by Dan Patterson and Colin Swash who’ve been making fun of politicians for decades.
May 2009. Gordon Brown’s Government is in meltdown and a General Election is just one year away. Labour backbencher Robert Houston (Ben Miller) loves being an MP and will do anything to save his seat – including change sides. All is going well with his switch from red to blue until, on the eve of his final interview with Sir Norman Cavendish (Simon Shepherd), a Tory grandee, the Expenses Scandal breaks.
As public fury mounts over taxpayers’ millions being frittered away on second homes, hanging baskets, moat-cleaning and duck houses, Robert and his secretarial staff, aka wife Felicity (Nancy Carroll), student son Seb (James Musgrave), Seb’s girlfriend Holly (Diana Vickers) and Russian housekeeper Ludmilla (Debbie Chazen) find themselves in big, big trouble.
Ben Miller said: “They say that comedy equals tragedy plus time, and traumatic as the expense scandal was hopefully we can all now have a bloody good laugh about it. And if any MPs don't like it they can always claim for it on expenses.”
Authors Dan Patterson and Colin Swash said: “it is a real treat to hear such a brilliant cast performing the lines. Between the two of us we have written topical jokes for TV for over fifty years, but there aren’t usually enough on one subject to make a play. MP’s expenses were – as the MP’s also found – the gift that keeps on giving”.
Producer Nica Burns said: “This wickedly funny play delights in having a good laugh at the expense of our politicians - whilst inspiring serious debate about the underlying issues which affect us all.”
[posted by Andrew, 16/09/2013 12:28]