HOW many of us have met someone on holiday who we have hit it off with? We exchange addresses or emails, and probably never hear from them again. Or perhaps you do go and visit them – and it all goes swimmingly and 30 years on, you are still good friends.
That’s the positive story – but what if your unexpected holiday “friend” is a serial killer? How do you say No, how do you say, Get out of my house? It’s the ultimate British dilemma – how do you get rid of them, when, of course, you mustn’t be rude.
Shaftesbury Arts Centre’s Music & Drama Group brings Steven Moffat’s hilarious comedy The Unfriend to the stage from 15th to 18th April, directed by Bryan Farrell. The play had its premiere at the Chichester Festival in 2022, with Mark Gatiss making his directorial debut and a cast that included Frances Barber as the Trump-supporting American widow and Amanda Abbington and Reece Shearsmith as the middle-class British couple who meet her on a cruise.
Steven Moffat’sh internationally successful television shows include Doctor Who, Sherlock and Dracula, the latter two co-written with Mark Gatiss. First performed in Chichester’s smaller venue, the Minerva Theatre, the production was a huge hit, transferring to the West End- first to thed Criterion Theatre, then on to Wyndham’s in 2023, where it starred comedian Lee Mack.
The Unfriend is the story of Peter and Debbie who, whilst on holiday, befriend Elsa, an ebullient, larger-than-life widow from Denver, Colorado, USA. They agree to stay in touch – although they know that nobody ever does … do they?
A few months later, Elsa invites herself to stay with them. They decide to look her up online, just to be sure. Too late! They learn the truth about Elsa Jean Krakowski. Deadly danger has just boarded a flight to London. But how do you protect all that you love from mortal peril without seeming, well, a bit impolite?
The Shaftesbury Arts Centre cast is a mixture of experienced and new members, with newcomer Chris Fosten as Peter, Nicki Porter as Debbie, and Nicole Forbes-Marshall as Elsa. Alex is played by Albie Atherton, Rosie by Isobelle Heard, the neighbour by Jon Corry and the Policeman by Fred Wopat.
The Unfriend takes a hilarious and satirical look at middle England’s disastrous instinct to always appear ‘nice’.