"Starsky and Hutch" star David Soul will star in Nick Darke's black comedy The Dead Monkey which opens Tuesday 3 March at north London fringe venue the New End Theatre. Soul is joined by two other Americans - Alexa Hamilton and James Terry - for the story written by a British playwright but set against a surrealistic California landscape.

What holds a relationship together when the throes of passion fade? Children? Respect? Money? For Dolores and Hank it's a monkey.

Soul plays Hank, once a tanned, taut surfer dude and now a washed up travelling salesman. Although perhaps best-known for his Hutch incarnation and recording forays, Soul has worked extensively in theatre. He recently played the Narrator in the West End production of Willy Russell's Blood Brothers, a role he originated in Australia and New Zealand.

Hamilton's UK stage credits include Speed the Plow at the Theatre Royal, Lincoln and Missing in Action (MIA) at the Grace and Jermyn Street Theatres. James Terry, a native Californian, made his London debut in MIA. Other credits include Sir Peter Hall's production of A Streetcar Named Desire. He is currently appearing in David Mamet's Lakeboat at the Lyric Hammersmith.

The Dead Monkey runs to Sunday, 29 March 1998. Call the New End box office on 44-171-794-0022 for more information. --By Terri Paddock
What's On Stage, London