Ben Elton's West End hit Popcorn will receive its Mexican premiere May 14 at the new Teatro Lidice, formerly known as the Teatro San Jeronimo which has been recently refurbished and renamed.

Elton's cynical comedy satirically talks about the violence in films and its effect on people. A cinema director and his family are held hostage at gunpoint by two serial killers inspired by his films. As the play develops some social questions arise regarding the high-dosis of violence seen on film and TV and its possible consequences with the audience.

Popcorn premiered at the Nottingham Playhouse in September 1996 and was later transferred to the West End, where it won the 1998 Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Comedy and has been praised for bringing new and younger audiences to the theatre.

Starring in Mexico's Popcorn are Juan Manuel Bernal (Muerte Subita), Fernando Ciangherotti (Sweet Charity), Ludwica Paleta and Roberto Medina, directed by Mario Espinoza (Art).

For information and tickets call Ticketmaster Mexico at 011-52- 53-25-90-00. --By Claudio Carrera
Mexico Correspondent