The Young Vic is staging a unique premiere in January as part of the London International Mime Festival, now in its 21st year. A Special Offer , which runs at the fringe venue Jan. 11-23, 1999, is inspired by visits to Sharps Bedrooms, the bedroom furniture store, as well as the short stories of Raymond Carver.

The piece explores the consumer age and how it affects a dream couple. Set in a real display bedroom, supplied by Sharps, the model couple go through the motions of a relationship. From their window-shopping view, the audience watches the couple as they struggle to discover what it is they really want.

A Special Offer is co-directed and designed by Alice Power and Alice Purcell. The two also worked together on Scarlet Theatre's 1994 production Paper Walls which was nominated for a Time Out Best Director's Award. Power also recently worked on the West End production of The Right Size's Do You Come Here Often? at the Vaudeville Theatre earlier this year. Purcell's credits include the designs for the David Glass Ensemble's Popeye in Exile which also ran in the West End.

The cast of A Special Offer are Lisa Gornick, Mick Barnfather and mezzo soprano Rebecca Gale. The original music for the piece is by Nigel Piper.

For further information, contact the Young Vic box office on 011-44-171 928-6363. -- By Terri Paddock
What's On Stage, London