Comedian Brian Conley will star in David Farr's award-winning new play, Elton John's Glasses, directed by Terry Johnson, which first premiered to critical acclaim last June at Watford's Palace Theatre. The new production will return to the Palace Theatre where it kicks off a national tour on 16 April 1998 before arriving in the West End in June. The West End venue has yet to be confirmed.

Elton John's Glasses deals with a familiarly obsessive subject to many Britons - football. In particular, it looks at one man's obsession with Watford Football Club (the Hornets) and their failure to win the Cup Final. Conley plays Bill who hasn't recovered from Watford's 1984 defeat by Everton at Wembley. It's now 1996, the fateful day of the last match of the season when relegation looms, and Bill is reliving the agony of the lost cup again. Events take an upward turn with the arrival of Bill's younger brother, members of his rock band and the beautiful Amy who plays a wicked game of football herself. Could there be more to life than just football?

Conley, well known for his three TV comedy series, has appeared on the West End in Jolson and Me and My Girl. Farr is currently artistic director of renowned fringe theatre The Gate. Johnson has had several recent hits including Dead Funny and Hysteria.

Elton John's Glasses was winner of the Writers' Guild of Great Britain Best Regional Play of 1997.

--By Terri Paddock
What's On Stage, London
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