Brand new stage comedy – Vulcan 7 – written by and co-starring Adrian Edmondson and Nigel Planer will premiere this autumn at Guilford’s Yvonne Arnaud Theatre.
Directed by Steven Marmion, the show will open to audiences in September in Guildford before embarking on tour to Cambridge, Newcastle, Bath, Richmond, Malvern and Edinburgh.
British actor-comedians Adrian Edmondson and Nigel Planer rose to fame together in Channel 4’s The Comic Strip Presents… and as members of the spoof band Band News. Of course, they’re best known for their roles as students Vyvyan and Neil in BBC classic 80s sitcom The Young Ones and cult comedy fans will remember them later starring alongside Rik Mayall in Ben Elton’s sitcom Filthy, Rich and Catflap.
In this latest comedy collaboration, Vulcan 7, they’ll be playing ageing former drama students Gary Savage and Hugh Delavois. One a plodding actor, the other a struggling Hollywood star. Both in their 60s, they’re reunited on Icelandic wasteland, on the set of a fantasy movie.
The cast is completed by Lois Chimimba who stars as film runner, Leela.
Hugh has landed the role of Vulcan’s butler and he’s making his seventh film for the franchise. Gary is a one-time Hollywood A-lister playing a guest monster with four hours in make-up and one word in the script.
Sparks fly inside the trailer as old wounds are opened. Leela, a runner, attempts to keep the peace, but outside the trailer things are not going to plan either: the director’s gone AWOL, the catering truck’s on the wrong side of a ravine, and the volcanic activity is growing more lively by the minute…
Adrian Edmondson (Gary Savage) is perhaps best loved for his role in TV sitcom Bottom which he wrote and starred in with fellow British comedy legend, Rik Mayall. Other television credits include Jonathan Creek, Blackadder and the BBC adaptation of War & Peace. On stage he has appeared in The Rocky Horror Show in the West End and Twelfth Night at the RSC. Film credits include Captain Peavey in Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
Nigel Planer (Hugh Delavois) is an actor, comedian, novelist and playwright who has worked extensively in the West End with leading roles in original productions Evita, Chicago, We Will Rock You, Wicked, Hairspray, Feelgood and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory for which he received an Olivier Award nomination. Other credits include the spoof actor character Nicholas Craig and Doctor Who: Live tour. He has been nominated for numerous awards and won the BRIT award for Best Comedy Record in 1984 for his appearance in The Young Ones.
Lois Chimimba (Leela) has appeared with the National Theatre most recently in Common, and previously Peter Pan and wonder.land. Other theatre credits include Pitcairn with Shakespeare’s Globe and Chichester Festival Theatre and Nightingale and Chase at the Royal Court. She has appeared on television in the drama series Trust Me and on film in The Proposal.
Vulcan 7 Autumn tour schedule – contact venues for ticket details:
Yvonne Arnaud Theatre
Wednesday 19 – Saturday 29 September
Millbrook, Guildford GU1 3UX
Box Office: 01483 440077
www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk
Cambridge Arts Theatre
Monday 1 – Saturday 6 October
6 St Edward’s Passage, Cambridge CB2 3PJ
Box Office: 01223 503333
www.cambridgeartstheatre.com
Newcastle Theatre Royal
Monday 8 – Saturday 13 October
Grey Street, Newcastle NE1 6BR
Box Office: 0191 244 2500
www.theatreroyal.co.uk
Performance schedule: Mon – Sat 7.30pm, Matinees Thurs 2pm & Sat 2.30pm
Theatre Royal Bath (Tickets on sale on 23 July)
Monday 15 – Saturday 20 October
Sawclose, Bath BA1 1ET
Box Office: 01225 448815
www.theatreroyal.org.uk
Performance schedule: Mon – Sat 7.30pm, Matinees Wed & Sat 2.30pm
Richmond Theatre
Monday 22 – Saturday 27 October
The Green, Richmond, TW9 1QJ
Box Office: 0844 871 7651
www.atgtickets.com
Malvern Festival Theatre
Monday 29 October – Saturday 3 November
Grange Road, Malvern, WR14 3HB
Box Office: 01684 569256
www.malvern-theatres.co.uk
King’s Theatre Edinburgh
Monday 5 – Saturday 10 November
2 Leven St, Edinburgh, EH3 9LQ
Box Office: 0131 529 6000
www.capitaltheatres.com/kings
Performance schedule: Mon – Sat 7.30pm, Matinees Wed & Sat 2.30pm
