Following a very successful season at this year's Edinburgh Festival, award-winning comedian Alan Davies makes his West End theatre debut in Auntie and Me, a new black comedy by Morris Panych that follows The Play What I Wrote into Wyndham's Theatre. Auntie and Me previews Jan. 10, 2003 and opens Jan. 14.

Alan Davies plays Kemp, a man who rushes to the death bed of his estranged aunt (played by Margaret Tyzack), anticipating a swift funeral and a guaranteed inheritance.

Unfortunately for Kemp, the elderly lady just refuses to die, and as the weeks, months and seasons go by, he looks after his auntie with ever-growing impatience. A darkly comic play with surprising plot twists, Auntie and Me is an amusing and moving look at old age, families and the last great taboo: death.

Alan Davies has had exceptional success both as a stand-up comedian and an award-winning television actor — particularly in the series "Jonathan Creek" and "Bob & Rose." Auntie and Me marks his West End debut.

Margaret Tyzack has a highly distinguished stage career as well as many film and television roles. One of the highlights of her theatre work was her performance, with Dame Maggie Smith, in Peter Shaffer's comedy Lettice and Lovage. More recently, she has been seen as Madame Pernelle in Tartuffe at the National Theatre.

Auntie and Me is directed by Anna Mackmin, the Associate Literary Director of the Crucible, Sheffield. The show is designed by Hayden Griffin with lighting by Andy Phillips and music by Julian Swales.

—By Theatrenow