Stage veteran Robert (Patrick Stewart) and aspiring newcomer John (Joshua Jackson) strike up a friendship while treading the boards of a flagging small town rep. As this friendship evolves both on the stage an behind the scenes, the pair get to grips with the many cruel uncertainties of a life in the theatre.

The inspiration for Mamet’s bittersweet comedy comes from his experiences of working back stage early on in his career and of his own, brief time spent in front of an audience. As could be expected from such a rich topic, the gamut of emotions on display range from joy to the almost inevitable heartache.

Patrick Stewart OBE is most recognisable as Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Starship Enterprise, having governed the helm of the intergalactic peacekeepers throughout the entirety of the Start Trek: The Next Generation series and films. He has also recently been seen heading up a group of world-saving mutants, playing Professor Charles Xavier in two X-men films. However, Stewart is also one of Britain’s finest stage actors and an honorary associate artist of the RSC. He has twice won an Olivier Award; in 1979 for Best Supporting Actor in Antony and Cleopatra for the RSC, and in 1994 for Best Entertainment for his one man rendition of A Christmas Carol.

Vancouver native Joshua Jackson will be making his West end debut in the production. Jackson shot to fame playing loveable rogue Pacey Witter in the angst-ridden wordy teen drama Dawson’s Creek. He has already made an impact in the world of movies, with credits including The Skulls, Urban Legend and the upcoming Cursed.

David Mamet has won both the Pulitzer Prize and an Olivier Award for his play Glengarry Glen Ross, and garnered an Oscar nomination for his adaptation of Wag The Dog. His work was last seen in the West End when Oleanna, directed by Lindsay Posner who also directs A Life in The Theatre, played at the Garrick earlier this year.