MEDIA RELEASE 30 June 2016

AWARD-WINNING WEST END COMEDY AND WOOSTER BRINGS SOME ‘PERFECT NONSENSE’ TO ADELAIDE

Her Majesty’s Theatre from Tuesday 30 August to Saturday 3 September Tickets on sale from Friday 1 July

Following a sell-out year on London’s West End, three successful UK tours and a season in Mumbai, the charmingly incompetent English gentleman and his unflappable valet Jeeves are packing their bags for a trip to Sydney. The iconic double act will be appearing in Perfect Nonsense for a strictly limited season at Her Majesty’s Theatre from 30 August to 3 September Tickets are on sale from 9am Monday 4 July and may be purchased through all BASS outlets and BASS on online.

Winner of Best New Comedy at London’s 2014 Olivier Awards, the highly acclaimed comedy Perfect Nonsense layers joy on joy and joke on joke in a hilarious evening of theatrical absurdity.

Playing the role of Jeeves is Joseph Chance (to the sidet), who has performed at some of the UK’s most prestigious theatres and in numerous Shakespeare productions, including seasons with the world-famous Royal Shakespeare Company. Matthew Carter, who plays Wooster (above left), has also performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company, has appeared in the West End’s longest-running play The Mousetrap, and his film and television credits include Wallander and The Bill. As well as co-writing Perfect Nonsense, Robert Goodale has played the butler Seppings on the UK tour and now reprises his role for Sydney. He is an experienced Shakespearean actor with numerous Royal Shakespeare Company roles to his credit, as well as film and TV appearances, including Midsomer Murders, The Bill, Heartbeat, Foyle's War and Holby City. Bertie Wooster, the dim-witted, calamity-prone English toff, and his suave, shrewd manservant and solver of all problems - Jeeves, were the most famous creations of renowned English author P. G. Wodehouse. They first appeared in 1915, and thereafter in a total of 35 short stories and 11 novels recounting their hilarious escapades, making their final appearance in 1974 in Wodehouse’s last completed novel ‘Aunts Aren’t Gentlemen’. Perfect Nonsense is based on and adapted from Wodehouse’s literary works, and is written by brothers Robert and David Goodale.

When a country house weekend takes a turn for the worse, Bertie Wooster is unwittingly called on to play matchmaker and also to steal a silver cow-shaped cream jug from Totleigh Towers. Naturally, the ever-dependable Jeeves is there to save the day and prevent Bertie from making a fool of himself.

The supremely talented cast of three recounts the weekend’s escapades in an evening of raucous comedy, playing a colourful array of Wodehouse’s well-loved characters including Gussie Fink-Nottle, , Sir Watkin Bassett, , and Constable Oates.

Producer James Cundall, CEO of Lunchbox Theatrical Productions, said ‘We are thrilled to introduce to Adelaide audiences three acclaimed and versatile performers from the UK’s stage, television and movie screens, who take on multiple roles, keeping the story spinning at a hysterical pace. Their unique delivery will take comedy to a whole new level. The show is delightfully dotty, with a perfect dose of silliness and frivolity to transport you to another world.’

Though born in England, P.G. Wodehouse spent the first two years of his life in Hong Kong, where his parents lived, his father a magistrate. He later worked for the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank in London for two years before becoming a full-time writer.

From 1902 until his death in 1975 aged 93, Wodehouse was a prolific writer of short stories, novels, scripts for both plays and Hollywood films, as well as lyrics for musical comedies - at one time he had five musicals running simultaneously on Broadway.

Jeeves and Wooster have become world-famous fictional characters, appearing in film, television and stage adaptations, most notably the British TV series ‘’ starring Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie respectively. Both the name and character of Jeeves have over the years become known as the quintessential name for a valet or butler, and for all things associated with the role of a gentleman’s gentleman.

With clever and inventive staging, Perfect Nonsense is laugh-out-loud funny, capturing the eccentricity and innocence of a bygone English era.

Original Director – Sean Foley. Adapted by The Goodale Brothers

Perfect Nonsense is produced by Mark Goucher and Mark Rubinstein and presented in Australia by Lunchbox Theatrical Productions.

“Devour every last drop of this Wooster sauce with relish” Tim Walker, Sunday Telegraph, UK “Just go... Besiege the box office!” Libby Purves, Radio 4 and theatrecat.com, UK

**** London Evening Standard

“P.G. Wodehouse would have loved this production” Charles Spencer, Daily Telegraph, UK

“An inventive evening of bonkers comedy” Quentin Letts, Daily Mail, UK

“Hilarious!” Daily Express, UK

Ticketing information

JEEVES AND WOOSTER in Perfect Nonsense Tickets are on sale from Friday 1July

Venue: Her Majesty’s Theatre Performance Dates: Tuesday 30 August to Saturday 3 September Performance Times: Tuesday - Friday 7.30pm Saturday 2pm & 7.30pm

Notes for Editors Lunchbox Theatrical Productions - Producer Founded in Hong Kong in 1992 by James Cundall, Lunchbox Theatrical Productions has established an unrivalled reputation for producing top quality international entertainment across five continents, and is now headquartered in the United Kingdom with companies in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore and The Philippines.

Productions include musicals such as Cats, The Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, WICKED, Mamma Mia, West Side Story and Chicago; spectaculars such as Riverdance and Cirque du Soleil’s Alegria; boutique shows such as Stomp, Tap Dogs, Slava’s Snowshow, Potted Potter, Circus Oz and Barry Humphries’ Farewell Tour ‘Eat, Pray, Laugh!’; musical concerts including Thriller Live, The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Abba Mania; international artists Jamie Oliver, Rick Stein and Elaine Paige; plays such as The Woman in Black, The Mousetrap and The 39 Steps; children’s shows Thomas the Tank Engine and Barney’s Space Adventures; events such as Yorkshire’s Winter Wonderland (an outdoor Christmas ice rink and funfair in York, UK) and The Last Night of the Proms for the Hong Kong Handover; and The Imperial Ice Stars’ productions of The Sleeping Beauty on Ice, Swan Lake on Ice, Cinderella on Ice and The Nutcracker on Ice.

In addition to JEEVES AND WOOSTER in Perfect Nonsense in Sydney, Adelaide, Wellington, Hong Kong and Singapore, future productions for 2016 include Wicked in Hong Kong, Singapore and Manila; Swan Lake on Ice and Sleeping Beauty on Ice in China; The Sound of Music in Australia; Singin’ in the Rain in Australia; Blue Man Group in Singapore, New Zealand and Manila; The Shaolin Warriors in New Zealand; The Bootleg Beatles in Singapore; Beyond the Barricade in New Zealand; and Priscilla Queen of the Desert in New Zealand.

For further information: Neil Ward Publicity Neil Ward on 0438 095 580 [email protected] or Angela Tolley on 0438 160 320 [email protected]