The Ladykillers
Now Closed
Booking Period
- Show Opened
- 26th Nov 2011
- Booking Until
- 14th Apr 2012
Running Time
Age Restrictions
Recommended for ages 12 and over.
What's it all about?
Take one canny granny, a suave but sinister professor, his four bumbling accomplices and a plan that ‘can’t fail’, and you have all the ingredients that made The Ladykillers one of the nation’s favourite comedy films.
In this brand new version you’re in for double the fun because not only does Peter Capaldi (from BBC comedy The Thick of It) step into the lead, but Graham Linehan (Father Ted, The IT Crowd) has also entirely reimagined the script, upping the laugh out loud moments and focusing firmly on the farce.
Who's in it?
It’s hard to know where to start when almost every name attached to this production is associated with comedy gold, from multi-Bafta Award-winning writer Linehan, through Oscar recipient Capaldi, to acclaimed director Sean Foley (The Play What I Wrote).
In addition to these are James Fleet of The Vicar of Dibley fame and Ben Miller, co-writer of Bafta-winning sketches for The Armstrong and Miller Show.
Suitable for
You won’t need to be a film aficionado to get a huge amount out of this fresh take on the classic crime caper because Linehan has gone out of his way to make the show his own. This means beefed up roles for the professor’s henchmen and a marked increase in the comedy.
So whether you have fond memories of the original, mixed feelings about the Coen brothers’ 2004 remake or just want to see what all the fuss is about, now’s the perfect time to hope aboard this vintage comedy vehicle while it’s got such a wealth of comedy talent on board.
What's the story?
If you already think of the wily Mrs Wilberforce, mysterious Professor Marcus and his blundering buddies as old friends, then you’ll be pleased to know that the essentials of this show remain true to the Ealing comedy classic: five criminals posing as amateur musicians rent a room from a sweet, elderly lady, planning to use her as cover for a robbery.
But with constant interruptions to their ‘rehearsals’ for tea from Mrs W, could it be that her brains will trump their brawn after all?
Staff Reviews
The actors had a good rapport with audience and the storyline was easy to follow. It was a good laugh – they definitely keep you awake throughout the show. Try and not sit to close due to some of the lighting and sound effects on stage if you are sensitive.
It was very clever and extremely funny, great mix of slapstick and dark comedy! The acting was superb, all of it! The sets were good and the effects were clever even when they were silly. Have a drink on the way in and prepare to have a good laugh throughout.
Very imaginative use of the set and brilliant acting. As a huge fan of the original film, I was worried that they wouldn't translate the black comedy into a successful stage show. In fact, that dark humour was still there, plus some absolutely golden comedy moments that did nothing to detract from the overall piece. It was superb in all areas, even with some improv lines. If you are a fan of the original film, this will not disappoint!
The characters were all played really well, with their own comical nuances and the right balance of good-old British humour. I also really liked the wonky house set, and particularly the toy-car heist scene – which was a genius way to present it without redoing the whole stage. It’s good British humour, doesn’t let down the original film and has a fairly short running time compared to some other West End shows.
What the critics say
Garners so many laughs and is so vibrantly acted...an exuberantly inventive evening
Full of fresh gags and amazing physical comedy routines...packed with cracking comic performances
Suffused with fun
Packed with classic slapstick and fine-tuned asides. The result is a caper that delights
Customer Reviews
Best show in years , what a change from the usual dreary musicals. PLEASE more like this. This should have been retained for a lot longer as all the seats were taken yesterday matinee.
Excellent cast, excellent show. Very well done and fantastic flats and sound effects. A must see show before it finsihes.
We selected this play because the British film is so iconic. All the actors were superb especially Peter Capaldi who in essence was the Alec Guiness of the play. The stage set was remarkable, and allowed you to have more than just the one view set up. The Gielgud theatre is a lovely and well maintained theatre which is another bonus. Would highly recommend this play.
Fantastic show, excellent performances and amazing stage set! Love the way the actors all stay in character to the very end, tumbling out from all corners of the stage to take their bow! Brilliant! Totally recommend it.
Really enjoyed the show, cast were brilliant.
Very, very funny. Really enjoyed the show although at the back of every thing was the original film. The cast was excellent although they all had hard acts to follow. We were particularly impressed with the set.
