The production runs through Jan. 31, 2009, under the direction of Sean Holmes, who has been newly appointed to take over the artistic directorship of the Lyric Hammersmith.
The cast features Matt Di Angelo, Jim Creighton, David Haig, James Hayes, Doon Mackichan and Javone Prince.
The comedy, first staged in 1965 for a regional British tour that never made it into London, received its West End premiere in 1966 in a separate production that transferred from Holborn's Jeanetta Cochrane Theatre. It received its short-lived Broadway premiere at the Biltmore Theatre in 1968, running for 22 performances, and was subsequently revived at the Music Box in 1986, in a production that transferred from Manhattan Theatre Club.
The play follows the fortunes of Dennis and Hal, two young lads who hijack Hal's mother's coffin to stash the loot from a recent heist. The plot thickens as her body keeps turning up around the house. The unscrupulous police Inspector Truscott arrives on the scene sowing confusion around him, whilst Nurse Fay works her dubious charms on Hal's Dad.
Di Angelo, who is making his professional stage debut as Hal, was most recently seen in BBC1's hit show "Strictly Come Dancing," followed by a live national tour. He is best known for playing the character of Deano Wicks in the TV soap "EastEnders" for two years. Creighton, who plays Meadows, previously worked with Sean Holmes in The Entertainer at the Old Vic. Other stage credits include Market Boy, The Royal Hunt of the Sun, The Merchant of Venice, Money, Summerfolk, Troilus and Cressida, Peter Pan and An Enemy of the People, all for the National Theatre and Brand and The Merchant of Venice for the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Haig, who plays Inspector Truscott, was last on the London stage in The Sea and The Country Wife, both directed by Jonathan Kent as part of his season at the Theatre Royal Haymarket. His other theatre work includes Donkey's Years and Journey's End at the Comedy Theatre, Mary Poppins at the Prince Edward Theatre, Hitchcock Blonde for the Royal Court, Life x 3 at the Savoy Theatre, House and Garden for the National Theatre, Art in the West End and on Broadway and Dead Funny for Hampstead Theatre.
Hayes, who plays McCleavy, has previously been directed by Sean Holmes in The Man Who Had All The Luck at the Donmar Warehouse and Julius Caesar, Richard III and Measure for Measure for the Royal Shakespeare Company. He has also been seen in Antony and Cleopatra, The Tempest and The Winter's Tale for the RSC.
Mackichan, who plays Fay, was last seen onstage at the Comedy Theatre when she took over in Boeing-Boeing. Other stage credits include A Respectable Wedding (Young Vic), and The Sacred Heart and Mother Courage (National Theatre). Her extensive TV credits include "Smack the Pony" and "Gladiatress," both of which she co-wrote and performed with Fiona Allen and Sally Phillips.
Prince, who plays Dennis, has previously been directed by Sean Holmes in Richard III and Measure for Measure for the Royal Shakespeare Company. His other theatre credits include In the Red and Brown Water and Raisin in the Sun for the Young Vic, Statement of Regret and Burn/Chatroom/Citizenship for the National Theatre, Out of the Fog at the Almeida and Sugar Mummies for the Royal Court.
Holmes has previously directed Filter's Twelfth Night and Moonlight and Magnolias at the Tricycle. Other credits include The Man Who Had All the Luck (Donmar Warehouse), Translations, The Mentalists, A Midsummer Night's Dream and The Caucasian Chalk Circle for the National Theatre, Julius Caesar, Richard III and The Roman Actor for the RSC. His other productions include Singer and The Price for the Tricycle Theatre.
To book tickets contact the box office at 020 7328 1000 or visit www.tricycle.co.uk.
