Following the premiere performance of Richard Bean’s Great Britain at the National Theatre this week, the venue has announced the acclaimed show will transfer to the Theatre Royal Haymarket from 10 September.
Taking a foul-mouthed, satirical look at the press, police and political establishment, Bean’s latest work has had a brilliantly eccentric beginning. Rehearsed in secret, the Billie Piper-led comedy was announced last Thursday before opening to the public and press just a few days later on Monday.
Due to play at the National Theatre’s Lyttelton Theatre until 23 August, Great Britain follows Bean’s previous hits for the South Bank venue including England People Very Nice, The Mentalists and the hugely successful One Man, Two Guvnors, which also found a West End home at the Theatre Royal Haymarket.
Directed by Nicholas Hytner, the political satire, for which West End casting is yet to be announced, centres on Paige Britain, an ambitious young news editor of a tabloid newspaper locked in a never-ending battle for more readers.
Following its last minute press performance on Monday, the show received an outpour of critical acclaim. In his four star review, The Guardian’s Michael Billington called the production “blessedly funny”, saying “it has the bracing quality of topicality and is written with real verve”.
Tickets for Great Britain’s run at the Theatre Royal Haymarket from 10 September to 10 January will go on sale this Friday.