Rowan Atkinson is returning to London's West End for his first live comedy sketch show in 40 years. The award-winning actor, 71, will take the stage at the Gillian Lynne Theatre next year in a show that combines new material with some of his most famous comedy sketches and characters.
The production, called Rowan Live, marks his first time performing on stage in a theatre in over a decade. It will include 30 performances at the London venue from February 8 until March 13.
Atkinson's comedy legacy
Atkinson found fame starring in BBC sketch show Not The Nine O'Clock News in the late 1970s, before taking the title role in mock-historical comedy Blackadder in the 1980s. He became a household name and shot to global acclaim in the 1990s when he co-created and starred in the TV series Mr Bean as the largely silent and chaotic character known for his childlike antics.
Rowan Live is billed as a celebration of his "extraordinary body of work" and will revisit these beloved characters while promising new material created with long-term collaborators screenwriter Richard Curtis, comedian Ben Elton and composer Howard Goodall.
Collaborators and creative team
Curtis and Goodall have frequently collaborated with Atkinson throughout his career, having met him during his time at Oxford University in the 1970s. Curtis worked with Atkinson on Mr Bean and Blackadder, and is also an award-winning screenwriter, producer and director known for films such as Love Actually, Notting Hill and Four Weddings And A Funeral.
Speaking about the show, Atkinson said: "It is 40 years since I last did a comedy sketch show in the West End, and I thought it would be fun to perform again the sketches that began it all for myself and Richard Curtis, and in which my most well-known characters originated; alongside some surprise new material written especially for this show."
Quotes and ticket details
Curtis added: "I first saw Rowan perform on stage in 1976, 50 years ago - and it was instantly clear to all of us that we were watching a unique, once-in-a-lifetime talent. 50 years later, this summer, we started putting this show together in front of a small audience, and all that magic, that unique accuracy and comic genius is still there for all to see. It's such a joy and honour for me to be part of a show that will include the very best of Rowan on stage - all his voices, shapes, faces and characters. I hope it will make people very happy."
This marks Atkinson's first West End stage production since starring in a revival of Simon Gray's award-winning play Quartermaine's Terms in 2013. Tickets will be available to the public from 12pm on October 7 and can be found on the Rowan Live website, with priority booking opening beforehand.
