November 2007

ABSURD PERSON SINGULAR

ALL STAR CAST LEAD
AYCKBOURN WEST END REVIVAL

David Bamber
Jane Horrocks
David Horovitch
Jenny Seagrove
John Gordon Sinclair

IN
Alan Ayckbourn’s
Absurd Person Singular
FOR A STRICTLY LIMITED WEST END SEASON

Bill Kenwright presents Alan Ayckbourn’s ABSURD PERSON SINGULAR, directed by Alan Strachan, for a strictly limited season at the Garrick Theatre, opening on Tuesday 11 December (with previews from 27th November 2007). The full cast includes David Bamber, Jane Horrocks, David Horovitch, Jenny Seagrove, John Gordon Sinclair and Lia Williams. The production is designed by Michael Pavelka, with lighting by Jason Taylor and sound by Ian Horricks-Taylor.

This new production is the first in London’s West End since Ayckbourn’s self imposed moratorium in 2002. Absurd Person Singular was first performed in 1972.

This three act production observes the changing fortunes of three married couples on successive Christmas eves.

During the course of the first Christmas party, havoc ensues as one couple attempt to impress their high-powered friends - but that's nothing compared to what happens at the next two Christmases when the friends return their hospitality.

Sir Alan Ayckbourn is one of the world’s most popular and prolific professional playwrights. He has written 70 full length plays and more than 20 other revues and plays for children. Major successes include Absurd Person Singular, The Norman Conquests trilogy, Bedroom Farce, Just Between Ourselves, A Chorus Of Disapproval, Woman in Mind, A Small Family Business, Man Of The Moment and House & Garden. His plays have won numerous awards, including seven London Evening Standard Awards. They have been translated into over 35 languages and are performed on stage and television throughout the world. In 1997 he was knighted for his services to theatre. He is currently the Artistic Director of the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough.

Jane Horrocks is best loved for playing the hilariously ditsy ‘Bubble’ in hit comedy Absolutely Fabulous. Jane appeared as troubled teenager in Mike Leigh's film Life is Sweet before being nominated for a BAFTA for her performance as LV in the critically acclaimed film Little Voice. Her voiceover talents have also been used on the big screen, with credits including Chicken Run and The Corpse Bride. In 2006, Jane took on the title role in The Amazing Mrs. Pritchard, the story of a local supermarket manager who enters politics, and also appeared in Jimmy McGovern’s The Street. Her recent stage credits include Sweet Panic with John Gordon Sinclair.

Jenny Seagrove is known to millions as barrister Jo Mills in the BBC’s flagship drama series Judge John Deed. Her return to the West End comes just three months after her celebrated performance in The Letter at the Wyndham’s. Jenny’s theatre credits over the past decade include playing lead roles in: Night of the Iguana, Lyric; The Secret Rapture, Lyric; The Constant Wife, Apollo & Lyric; The Female Odd Couple, Apollo; Brief Encounter, Lyric; Hurlyburly, Queens; Dead Guilty, Apollo, The Miracle Worker, Wyndham’s; making her one of the West End’s most prolific and respected actresses.

John Gordon Sinclair will forever be known for his iconic performance in cult film Gregory's Girl. His numerous TV sitcom appearances include Mad about Alice and Nelson’s Column. His West End credits include The Producers at the Drury Lane in 2005; 10 years after collecting the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical for She Loves Me. Filumena & Kafka's Dick at the Piccadilly in 1998, Sweet Panic at the Duke of York's in 2003. His film credits include Local Hero and Erik the Viking.

David Horovitch is a prolific character actor best known for his frequent TV appearances in Midsommer Murders and Peak Practice. His a wealth of London experience most recently includes Mary Stuart (Donmar Warehouse and Gielgud), Losing Louis (Hampstead and Trafalgar Studio 1) and Spinning Into Butter (Royal Court Upstairs)

David Bamber is best known as Mr. Collins in the BBC's Pride and Prejudice, he also has recently starred in the highly acclaimed TV series Rome. David is a Laurence Olivier Award-winning actor (Best Actor for My Night With Reg), and has worked extensively with the National Theatre and was last seen in The Soldiers’ Fortune at the Young Vic.

Lia Williams is an Olivier, Tony and BAFTA 'Best Actress' nominee. She has recently finished a run in The Hothouse at the National, where she has also appeared in Mappa Mundi and Skylight. Lia’s other London credits include The Revengers’ Comedies, The Homecoming and My Child.

ABSURD PERSON SINGULAR

Listings
Bill Kenwright presents David Bamber, Jane Horrocks, David Horovitch, Jenny Seagrove, John Gordon Sinclair and Lia Williams in Alan Ayckbourn’s Absurd Person Singular Directed by Alan Strachan

Garrick Theatre, Charing Cross Road, London, WC2H 0HH, 0870 890 1104

Reduced price previews: from Tuesday 27November 2007
Press Night: 7:00pm Tuesday 11 December
Booking Until: 22 March 2008

Performances
Monday – Saturday at 7:45pm,
Wednesday 3pm, Saturday 3pm

Tickets
£45, £35, £25 & £15
(reduced price previews,
£10 off top 3 prices)

For more information please contact Ewan Thomson or Giles Cooper
ewan@borkowski.co.uk 0207 492 0614
giles@borkowski.co.uk 0207 492 0643

THE BUSH THEATRE PRESENTS

tHe dYsFUnCKshOnalZ!
by Mike Packer

tHe dYsFUnCKshOnalZ!, a new play written by Mike Packer and directed by Tamara Harvey, opens at The Bush Theatre on 20 November 2007 (with previews from 14 November). The production is designed by Lucy Osborne with lighting design by John Farncombe, sound design by Matt McKenzie and original music by Mia Soteriou.

Full cast includes Ralph Brown (playing Marc Faeces), Josephine Butler (playing Gina), Julia Ford (playing Louise Gash), Rupert Procter (playing Billy Abortion) and Pearce Quigley (playing John Smith).

Punk was the battle against money makers and the establishment of its day. 30 years on, can tHe dYsFUnCKshOnalZ!, keep the Anarchy flag flying by deciding not to sell out to the corporate giants? A caustic tale for a consumer generation, tHe dYsFUnCKshOnalZ! is Mike Packer’s third comedy for The Bush Theatre, following A Carpet, a Pony and a Monkey (2002) and Card Boys (1999).

Tamara Harvey recently directed the West End transfer of the highly acclaimed Bush Theatre production of Whipping It Up, which is currently on a UK national tour. Tamara’s extensive directorial work also includes Bash (Trafalgar Studios) One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest (Gielgud and Garrick Theatre runs) and Who’s The Daddy (King’s Head).

Ralph Brown is instantly recognisable as the infamous drug dealer Danny from classic, cult comedy, Withnail and I. On stage, Ralph’s work includes West (Donmar) Macbeth (Liverpool Everyman), Panic and Deadlines (Royal Court). On screen he has had roles in Alien 3, Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, Mean Machine and Eragon.

Josephine Butler’s stage work includes Drowned World (Paines Plough) and Going to the Chapel (Salisbury Playhouse). On screen she has had roles in Grass, 15 Story’s High and Sorted (BBC).

Julia Ford’s stage work includes Chinese Wolf (The Bush), The Shallow End, The Weir (Royal Court) and The Life of Galileo (National Theatre). On screen, she has had roles in Island at War (ITV), Coming Down the Mountain and Waking the Dead (BBC).

On stage Rupert Proctor’s work includes The Messiah directed by Stephen Berkoff. His television and film work include roles in Silent Witness (BBC), Dalziel and Pascoe (BBC), The Calcium Kid, One for the Road and Notting Hill.

Pearce Quigley’s stage work includes The Queen and I, Road, Shopping and F**king and The Seagull (Royal Court) and Journey’s End (Comedy Theatre). On screen, he has had roles in Prime Suspect 3 (ITV), Cutting It, 15 Story’s High and Riot at the Rite (BBC).

www.bushtheatre.co.uk

tHe dYsFUnCKshOnlZ!
Listings at The Bush Theatre, London, W12

Previews: Wednesday 14 – 19 Nov 8pm - £13, £9 concs.
Press Night: Tuesday 20 November 7pm - £15, £10 concs.
Saturday Matinees: 24 Nov, 1,7,8,14,15,21 & 22 Dec 3pm - £10
All other perfs. 8pm - £15, £10 concs.
Closed Sundays

For all press enquires and review tickets for tHe dYsFUnCKshOnalZ!
please contact – Giles Cooper – 0207 404 3000 / 07917 167 809 giles@borkowski.co.uk

BRITISH COMEDY AWARDS 2007 CELEBRATES 18 YEARS

The biggest names in comedy and television will gather in London on WEDNESDAY 5TH DECEMBER for the 18th BRITISH COMEDY AWARDS, sponsored by Highland Spring, the UK’s leading producer of bottled water.
As famous for its outrageous moments as its who’s who of comedy winners, Britain’s best-loved – and most watched – awards show will once again be hosted by Jonathan Ross at ITV’s London Studios

This year’s nominations, announced today, pit several rising stars of comedy’s new generation against some of television’s more familiar faces. They also find, for the first time, a double-act competing for the biggest prize.

The Friday Night Project’s two presenters Alan Carr and Justin Lee Collins are jointly nominated for Best Comedy Entertainment Personality against Stephen Fry for QI and Simon Amstell, the former Popworld presenter turned host of Never Mind The Buzzcocks.

Leading the way with seven nominations across five categories is BBC Three’s comedy series Gavin & Stacey, written by – and starring – Ruth Jones and James Corden.

The show is nominated for both Best British Comedy and Best New Television Comedy, while Jones and Corden are each nominated as Best Comedy Newcomers in the male and female categories – along with their co-stars Matthew Horne and Joanna Page.

Ruth Jones is also nominated for Best Television Comedy Actress, not just for Gavin & Stacey but also for her role in Saxondale, in a three-way contest with Catherine Tate and comedy veteran Liz Smith.

The award for Best Television Comedy Actor sees a four-way fight between Jack Dee (for Lead Balloon) and Lee Mack (Not Going Out), and two of the newer faces on TV, David Mitchell (Peep Show) and Kevin Bishop (Star Stories).

Dee is going for a hat-trick of prizes after winning Best TV Personality in 1995 and Best Stage Newcomer in 1991.

The BBC leads the way in the awards, with 18 nominations, and seven for Channel 4 (plus a further two for E4 and More4).

Michael Hurll, executive producer, British Comedy Awards said "As the naughty teenager of British Comedy comes of age this year, we expect the usual outrageous behaviour. In fact, we're banking on it."

Sally Stanley, marketing director of Highland Spring, said: “This is our second year as broadcast and event sponsor of the British Comedy Awards. The UK continues to produce some of the world’s finest comedians and Highland Spring is delighted to support the UK’s premier comedy awards event, which recognises the cream of British comedy talent. As ever, and perhaps especially on the 18th anniversary of the show, I’m sure there will be plenty of entertainment and drama to mark the occasion in style.

THE BRITISH COMEDY AWARDS 2007 NOMINATIONS ALPHABETICAL ORDER

BEST TELEVISION COMEDY ACTOR 2007

DAVID MITCHELL
Peep Show (Objective Productions for Channel 4)

JACK DEE
Lead Balloon (Open Mike for BBC Four)

KEVIN BISHOP
Star Stories (Objective Productions for Channel 4)

LEE MACK
Not Going Out (Avalon for BBC One)

BEST TELEVISION COMEDY ACTRESS 2007

CATHERINE TATE
The Catherine Tate Show (Tiger Aspect for BBC Two)

LIZ SMITH
The Royal Family: The Queen of Sheba (Granada Productions for BBC One)

RUTH JONES
Gavin & Stacey / Saxondale (Baby Cow for BBC Three / Baby Cow for BBC Two)

BEST COMEDY ENTERTAINMENT PERSONALITY 2007

ALAN CARR & JUSTIN LEE COLLINS
The Friday Night Project (Princess Productions for Channel 4)

SIMON AMSTELL
Never Mind the Buzzcocks (Talkback Thames for BBC Two)

STEPHEN FRY
QI (Talkback Thames for BBC Two)

BEST MALE COMEDY NEWCOMER 2007

JAMES CORDEN
Gavin & Stacey (Baby Cow for BBC Three)

MATHEW HORNE
Gavin & Stacey (Baby Cow for BBC Three)

MATT BERRY
The IT Crowd (Talkback Thames for Channel 4)

BEST FEMALE COMEDY NEWCOMER 2007

JOANNA PAGE
Gavin & Stacey (Baby Cow for BBC Three)

RUTH JONES
Gavin & Stacey (Baby Cow for BBC Three)

SHARON HORGAN
Rob Brydon’s Annually Retentive / Pulling (Jones the Film for BBC Three / Silver River for BBC Three)

BEST NEW BRITISH TELEVISION COMEDY (Scripted) 2007

GAVIN & STACEY
Baby Cow for BBC Three

LEAD BALLOON
Open Mike for BBC Four

NOT GOING OUT
Avalon for BBC One

BEST TELEVISION COMEDY 2007

GAVIN & STACEY
Baby Cow for BBC Three

PEEP SHOW
Objective Productions for Channel 4

STAR STORIES
Objective Productions for Channel 4

BEST NEW COMEDY ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMME 2007

Al MURRAY HAPPY HOUR
Avalon for ITV1

FONEJACKER
Hat Trick for E4

THE GRAHAM NORTON SHOW
So Television for BBC Two

BEST COMEDY ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMME 2007

HARRY HILL’S TV BURP
Avalon Television for ITV1

NEVER MIND THE BUZZCOCKS
Talkback Thames for BBC Two

THE FRIDAY NIGHT PROJECT
Princess Productions for Channel 4

BEST LIVE STAND UP 2007

ALAN CARR

SIMON AMSTELL

BEST INTERNATIONAL COMEDY SHOW 2007

CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM
HBO Entertainment for More 4

THE OFFICE: AN AMERICAN WORKPLACE
NBC Universal for ITV2

THE SIMPSONS
Twentieth Century Fox for Sky One / Channel 4

BEST COMEDY FILM 2007

BORAT
20th Century Fox

HOT FUZZ
Universal

THE SIMPSONS MOVIE
20th Century Fox

For further information please contact
Dee McCourt 07803 726543 dee@borkowski.co.uk
or Laura Woods on 0207 404 3000 laura@borkowski.co.uk

THE BICYCLE MEN

Skullduggery present THE BICYCLE MEN

A sublimely silly musical with French overtones

Dan Castellaneta (the voice of Homer Simpson), makes his UK theatre debut in THE BICYCLE MEN, opening at the King’s Head Theatre, London on 08 November, with previews from 06 November. Written by Dave Lewman, Joe Liss, Mark Nutter and John Rubano with music and lyrics by Mark Nutter, the full cast is Dan Castellaneta, Joe Liss, Mark Nutter and John Rubano.

Steve, a hapless American tourist, crashes his bike and encounters the twisted inhabitants of a sinister French village. Mayhem ensues as Steve steps into a surreal world of depraved marionettes, creepy bicycle repair men and some of the most oddball characters this side of The League of Gentlemen. Only the god of bicycles can save the day!

Between them the cast have appeared in numerous US TV shows and have written for THIRD ROCK FROM THE SUN, SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE and SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS.

Three time Emmy Award-winner Dan Castellaneta plays Steve, the American tourist, and is best known as the voice of Homer Simpson, Krusty the Clown, Grampa Simpson, Barney Gumble, Mayor Quimby and Groundskeeper Willie. He has made numerous guest appearances on television shows including Mad About You, LA Law, NYPD Blue, Friends, Entourage, and Monk. His feature film work includes My Giant, Space Jam, The Pursuit of Happyness, Neil Simon’s Laughter on the 23rd Floor for Showtime and the upcoming Super Hero. His stage work includes the off-Broadway production of The Alchemist, Moonlight and Magnolias at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, and his one-man show Where Did Vincent Van Gogh? performed in Los Angeles and at the Aspen Comedy Festival.

Joe Liss’s theatre credits include Hit It, Don!, Buddy Jack, Poseidon Adventure: The Musical, Wild Men!, and his one-man show, Joe Show, which he took to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. His film credits include Wayne's World II, Curly Sue, Meet The Applegates, and Major League. On TV Joe appeared on Less Than Perfect, That 80’s Show, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Strangers With Candy, and The Single Guy.

John Rubano can currently be seen on the ABC sitcom According to Jim. John appeared in the film The Sharktank Redemption, which was screened at the Aspen Comedy Arts Festival. His voice can be heard in Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, and many other animated and commercial projects. He sings and plays trumpet with two bands: Jim Belushi and the Sacred Hearts and The Blues Brothers.

Mark Nutter co-founded the critically acclaimed comedy ensemble Friends of the Zoo in Chicago. Mark wrote the lyrics and co-wrote the book for the musical Wild Men!, featuring George Wendt, Dave Lewman, and Joe Liss. His TV writing credits include Saturday Night Live and Third Rock From the Sun. He co-wrote the feature film Almost Heroes, and worked on the scripts for Black Sheep, Dead Man on Campus, I’ll Be Home For Christmas, and Muppets in Space. Mark also performs a solo act at the piano: “Seriously Silly Songs for Twisted Sophisticates".

Dave Lewman has performed in 40 musicals and comedies, including Sweeney Todd, Into The Woods, and a spoof of the Men’s Movement called Wild Men! After an eight-month run, Wild Men! moved to the Westside Theatre in New York. Dave teamed up with Joe Liss to write on NBC’s Third Rock From the Sun, MTV’s Three South, ABC Family’s My Life Is A Sitcom, Comedy Central’s Drawn Together, and the Cartoon Network’s George of the Jungle. He has also written 52 books (many about SpongeBob), one of which reached the number two spot on the NY Times bestseller list of children’s paperback books in February of 2004.

“Brilliant and funny” Stephen Glenn Martin (aka Steve Martin)

“The funniest show I’ve ever seen. It’s perfect” Jim Belushi

“I find myself quoting lines from the Bicycle Men and I want to see them again, and that, to me, is the sign of a great show.” Fred Willard (Best in Show, Anchorman, This is Spinal Tap)

“Put down that Prozac and cancel your vacation. Nothing could possibly lift your spirits as quickly as ‘The Bicycle Men,’ a gleefully funny exercise in Francophobia that even President Jacques Chirac would love.” New York Times

“Composer Mark Nutter has a genius for pastiche. You may laugh so hard you’ll fear for your health" Daily Telegraph

The Bicycle Men Listings

King’s Head Theatre
115 Upper Street, Islington, London, N1 1QN

From 06 November – 02 December
Press Night 08 November
Box Office: 020 7226 1916
Book Online www.kingsheadtheatre.org

Performances
Tuesday – Saturday 7.30pm
Saturday & Sunday 3.30pm

Tickets
Evenings: £20 / £18 concessions
Matinees: £16 / £14 concessions

For further information, please contact:

Ewan Thomson, T: 020 7492 0614 E: ewan@borkowski.co.uk

Amy Barder, T: 020 7492 0635 E: amy@borkowski.co.uk

FIRST UK WEBSITE TO FUSE FRIENDS AND FASHION LAUNCHES

UK fashion scene prepares for web 2.0 shopping and social network

Fashion savvy surfers will be frantically logging on for the ultimate online experience this November – the UK’s first ever social shopping site. Thanks to www.OSOYOU.com, the hotly tipped killer start-up combines ‘community and commerce’, allowing fashionistas to go ‘shopping with the girls’, without leaving their sofa!

The new website will allow cyber shoppers to browse their favourite stores via a ‘virtual high-street’, which will include the best ranges on offer from designer fashion and the high-street. The UK’s top three retailers Marks & Spencer, the Arcadia Group and Mosaic (Warehouse, Karen Millen, Oasis, Shoe Studio) are all confirmed partners, along with the likes of my-wardrobe.com, Sweaty Betty, Not On The High Street and Figleaves, to name a few.

An ‘O-SO-ME’ personal profile section will allow visitors to then drag and drop their favourite items in to a virtual scrapbook, thus creating the ultimate shopping wish list to refer to whilst browsing.

The real point-of-difference comes in the form of the social networking section. You can ask for advice (“where can I buy the perfect fit Jodhpurs??”), share tips (“for Kylie’s latest bag, check out…”) and generally share and compare shopping trends and tips with cyber friends.

This unique internet experience was born of the fact that 15 million women make up for 49% of internet users. 88% of women use the internet daily, with their biggest interest being clothes shopping (22%). 60% of customers refer to peers for guidance, hence the trend in blogging and online reviewing . With this in mind, www.OSOYOU.com will enable women to make the best shopping decisions in the comfort of their own home, with the ‘go ahead’ of their friends real and virtual!

Says MD, Dawn Bebe: “OSOYOU.com will be the hottest media to come out of London this year – think Facebook meets Selfridges and you are somewhere close. The number of women using social networking sites speaks for itself – women love to share tips and keep in touch with friends online - and we all know they love to shop. OSOYOU.com is unique in that it’s the first website that allows women to do both at the same time.”

www.OSOYOU.com officially launches 7th November 2007

For more information, contact
Kathryn McAuley kathryn@borkowski.co.uk
or Hannah Roche hannah@borkowski.co.uk
at Borkowski on 020 7404 3000

Notes to Editors:

· www.OSOYOU.com is owned by Bright Station Ventures headed up by CEO Shaa Wasmund, formerly the founder of Mykindaplace.com
· Former Emap Elan MD Dawn Bebe is MD. Previous success stories include the development of Grazia magazine
· Creative Director is Sarah Woodhead, previously Head of Content at Orange
· Commercial Director is Mandy Key
· Head of Retail is Ruth Barry
· Visit the OSOYOU blog at http://osoblog.tv/