Up Pompeii
Damian Williams & Richard Colson on the first Up Pompeii UK tour
To license the play
Back in the day when I wrote for Frankie Howerd he asked me to write a brand new stage play based on his most successful TV show Up Pompeii.
Frankie’s plan was to do a UK tour and then perform it in the West End. We were just about to roll into action when Larry Gelbert asked him if he would reprise his role as Pseudolus in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum at the Piccadilly Theatre.
As there is only so much Roman slavery a man can do, Up Pompeii was temporarily put on the back burner but you can read the full story here.
Fast forward a few years and theatre producer Bruce James heard about the play and tracked down a copy. Fortunately it made him laugh enough to produce a UK tour starring Damian Williams as Lurcio the slave (see promo clip below).
Up Pompeii is now back entertaining audiences with Lurcio, Ludicrus Sextus, Ammonia, Erotica, Senna the Soothsayer and others. So many thanks Bruce!
Frankie’s plan was to do a UK tour and then perform it in the West End. We were just about to roll into action when Larry Gelbert asked him if he would reprise his role as Pseudolus in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum at the Piccadilly Theatre.
As there is only so much Roman slavery a man can do, Up Pompeii was temporarily put on the back burner but you can read the full story here.
Fast forward a few years and theatre producer Bruce James heard about the play and tracked down a copy. Fortunately it made him laugh enough to produce a UK tour starring Damian Williams as Lurcio the slave (see promo clip below).
Up Pompeii is now back entertaining audiences with Lurcio, Ludicrus Sextus, Ammonia, Erotica, Senna the Soothsayer and others. So many thanks Bruce!
(Photos and video: Bruce James)
THE ORIGINAL CAST
Lurcio….Damian Williams
Corneous….Ben Roddy
Ammonia....Jacqueline Roberts
Ludicrus Sextus....Richard Colson
Erotica….Cloudia Knight
Senna the Soothsayer….Sophie Leigh
Voluptua….Mieke Dockley
Captain Treacherus….Andrew Ryan
Kretinus….Neil Bull
Nausius….Alex Newbold
Suspenda….Lucinda Kennard
Designed by Charles Camm.
Lighting by Geoff Gilder.
Directed by Bruce James.
THE ORIGINAL CAST
Lurcio….Damian Williams
Corneous….Ben Roddy
Ammonia....Jacqueline Roberts
Ludicrus Sextus....Richard Colson
Erotica….Cloudia Knight
Senna the Soothsayer….Sophie Leigh
Voluptua….Mieke Dockley
Captain Treacherus….Andrew Ryan
Kretinus….Neil Bull
Nausius….Alex Newbold
Suspenda….Lucinda Kennard
Designed by Charles Camm.
Lighting by Geoff Gilder.
Directed by Bruce James.
Up Pompeii has a cast of 11 (M6, F5) and uses one set of a courtyard.
My Up Pompeii play adapted by Barnaby Eaton-Jones, Daniel McGachey and Iain McLaughlin has been made into a special audio show to celebrate the 50th anniversary in 2019 of Frankie Howerd’s classic BBC sitcom. David Benson stars as Lurcio with an all star cast including Frazer Hines, Tim Brooke-Taylor, Madeline Smith, Cleo Rocos, Camille Coduri, Jack Lane, Rosa Coduri, Ben Perkins, Jilly Breeze and Barnaby Eaton-Jones at London’s Shaw Theatre.
Produced by Spiteful Puppet, it is available on CD/download here.
Read a review of the show here.
Produced by Spiteful Puppet, it is available on CD/download here.
Read a review of the show here.
