A play about legendary comedian Frankie Howerd is finally getting its London premiere after the opening had to be postponed.

 

Howerd's End, by Mark Farrelly (‘Quentin Crisp: Naked Hope’) takes you to the heart of Frankie and Dennis Heymer's clandestine relationship, which lasted from the 1950s until Frankie’s death in 1992. It also affords a glorious opportunity to encounter Frankie in full-flight stand-up mode.

Packed with laughter, but unafraid of truth, ‘Howerd’s End’ portrays two humans’ journey through closeness, love, grief, and all the other things that make life worth living. 

‘Howerd’s End’ will get its world premiere at the new Golden Goose Theatre, 146 Camberwell New Road, Camberwell, London, SE5 0RR.

The 80-seat theatre will be socially distanced to 40 seats.

Frankie Howerd is played by SImon Cartwright, who received rave reviews as another British comedy legend, Bob Monkhouse, in ‘The Man Called Monkhouse’ at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Simon also played Bob Monkhouse in ‘Toast of London’ on C4 and in Paul Hendy’s film ‘The Last Laugh’.

Dennis Heymer is played by the play’s author Mark Farelly, who is also the writer and performer of two hugely-acclaimed solo plays, ‘The Silence of Snow: The Life of Patrick Hamilton’ and ‘Quentin Crisp: Naked Hope’, which he has performed over 200 times across the UK/New York and counting. His next play is a solo portrait of radical filmmaker Derek Jarman.

Mark made his theatre debut immediately on graduating from Cambridge, playing the lead in Stephen Fry’s ‘Latin!’ at London’s King’s Head Theatre. His West End credits include ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?’ opposite Matthew Kelly at Trafalgar Studios.

Joe Harmston (Director)

Joe has directed over 100 theatre productions around the world and forged associations with some of British theatre’s most significant voices including Harold Pinter, Ronald Harwood, Michael Frayn, Trevor Nunn, Peter Hall, Peter Ustinov and Bill Kenwright. He directed Pinter in Pinter’s own ‘The Lover’ / ‘The Collection’ at The Donmar Warehouse, created and ran the hugely successful Agatha Christie Theatre Company, and remains much in demand as director, dramaturg and, more recently, writer.