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Dead Funny
by
Terry Johnson
First performance at
Hampstead Theatre, London on 27th January 1994.
Transferred to the
Vaudeville Theatre, London on 6th April 1994.
Director: Terry Johnson
Designer: Sue Plummer
Lighting: Simon Opie
Sound: John A. Leonard
Associate Producer: David Sutton
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Cast
(in
alphabetical order) |
Niall Buggy.....Brian
Beatie Edney.....Lisa
David Haig.....Richard
Zoë Wanamaker.....Eleanor
Danny Webb.....Nick |
Production |
| Dead
Funny opens in Islington, in spring 1992, on the day of comedian
Benny Hill's death. Eleanor, a doctor's wife, is
desperately trying to persuade her husband, Richard, that they
should start a family before it's too late. But he and the
couple's friends, founder members of the Dead Funny Society,
which celebrates the careers of late comedians, are preoccupied
by the death of one of the nation's best-loved comics. As
the others indulge in slapstick and farce, sad Eleanor struggles
to see the funny side of life. A darkly comic exploration
of British attitudes to love and relationships. |
Pictures |
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thumbnails to enlarge (images will open in a new window): |
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Notes |
| This was
the premiere production of Terry Johnson's play. |
During the production's run at the Vaudeville Theatre, Zoe
discussed some of the issues raised by Dead Funny in an
interview with the Radio Times: 'It's a dangerous work which
leads the audience in many different directions and has a
resonance with every woman. All women have this dilemma:
we're in touch with death every month from puberty until late
middle-age. Men aren't. We're have the constant
worry of that time switch when we will no longer be able to
breed, whereas men are geared to procreate as long as they want.' |
Dead Funny received the Critic's Circle award for Best New Play. |
Niall Buggy won an Olivier award for Best Supporting Actor for
his work on this production. |
Merchandise |
| Dead
Funny text - available to buy from Methuen |
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