December 1st 1958. Waring Hudsucker, president of giant Hudsucker Industries, has just thrown himself from the 45th floor. The business world holds its breath.
But the board of directors has a cunning plan: put an idiot in his place, depress the stock price, buy up all the shares and make a million! And they’ve found the perfect proxy, a clumsy, big-hearted goof with some hare-brained scheme to reinvent the wheel.
Only Norville Barnes may not be quite as stupid as he looks…
Based on the Coen Brothers’ joyful, wise-cracking romantic comedy which helped establish them among the most entertaining and distinctive film-makers of our time, and directed by Simon Dormandy and Toby Sedgwick (War Horse, 39 Steps), this timely take on corporate greed is a highly theatrical, inventively staged treat.
Adapted for the stage by Simon Dormandy
Based on the Warner Brothers film written by Ethan Coen & Joel Coen and Sam Raimi
Directed by Simon Dormandy and Toby Sedgwick
A co-production with Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse
Presented with kind permission of Warner Brothers Theatre Ventures
This brilliantly designed adaptation highlights the Coens’ debt to 1920s American theatre
The Guardian
Charming and clever, engaging and entertaining throughout. Well worth going to see.
Downstage Centre
VIDEOS

PHOTOS

A sweet-hearted screwball comedy
The Sunday Times
CAST

Rob Castell
Smitty

Nick Cavaliere
Hudsucker / The Chief

Simon Dormandy
Mussburger

Tamzin Griffin
Miss Turner / Za-Za

Tim Lewis
Buzz

Sinead Matthews
Amy Archer

Joseph Timms
Norville Barnes

David Webber
Moses
COMPANY
Simon Dormandy
Adaptor / Co-Director
Toby Sedgwick
Co-Director
Anthony Lau
Assistant Director
Dick Bird
Designer
Gareth Fry
Sound Designer
Paul Keogan
Lighting Designer
Sarah McColgan
Assistant Lighting Designer
Anna Cooper
Casting Director