Laughter galore in a fast-paced farce

Damian Williams, presenter of Sky One’s Are You Smarter Than Your 10 Year Old? is staring in A Bedfull of Foreigners at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage.

Stanley and Brenda are on a motoring trip and consider themselves very lucky when they check in at the hotel for the night – but not for long.

In under an hour Stanley finds himself, in Brenda’s absence, lowering an attractive girl, stark naked, from the window.

The arrival of Claude, the attractive girl’s husband, and a saucy French cabaret artiste called Simone causes further chaos.

By the second act almost everyone is in the wrong bed as seductions and confrontations run rampant.

There are mistaken identities, a double-booked bedroom, inefficient staff, hasty cover-ups and plenty of colourful characters including Heinz, the singing hotel manager, and Karak, the drinking head porter.

Dave Freeman’s farce was first performed in the West End in 1973 and since then it has delighted audiences around the world. In 1998 a film version was released.

Damian Williams makes the perfect Stanley with his quick timing, audience interactions and on-stage gaffes.

The play will be brought to Stevenage by Essex-based theatrical company Bruce James Productions.

To find out more visit www.brucejamesproductions.co.uk

You can see A Bedfull of Foreigners from Wednesday, February 15 to Saturday, February 18. Performances take place at 7.45pm each night and there is an additional matinee on the Saturday at 2.30pm.

For tickets phone the Gordon Craig Theatre’s box office on 01438 363200 or book online at www.gordon-craig.co.uk They cost from £17.