Withnail and I - Birmingham Rep

[Dave B]

It is one of British cinema’s most quotable comedies: a tale of destitute London actors “drifting into the arena of the unwell” who go on holiday by mistake to the Lake District. Now, the inebriated world of Withnail and I – complete with the notorious super-sized joint called the Camberwell carrot – is destined for the stage, adapted by the much-loved 1987 film’s writer-director, Bruce Robinson.

The play will have its world premiere at the Birmingham Rep in May, directed by Sean Foley, who described Withnail and I as “part of the furniture of British comedy” and said “if it wasn’t so funny, it would be tragic”.

More www.theguardian.com/stage/2023/oct/12/withnail-and-i-creator-bruce-robinson-adapts-film-for-the-stage

[Rory]

This is being done "in association" with ATG so there may be plans for a West End outing after Brum.

[Marwood]

Reading that article, it sounds like they are auditioning rather than having any big names already signed up: I love the film, it’s one of my favourites, if not THE favourite (it’s where I got my forum name and avatar from) but I’ll see who is in it and if it has plans for London before looking to book (I think I’ve been to Birmingham maybe twice in the space of fifty years)

[oxfordsimon]

This is not the first stage version, Kandu Theatre Company did a production in Belfast in 2015

No idea if it was done with the knowledge and consent of the rights holders! But it did happen

[Jon]

Oct 12, 2023 16:19:50 GMT Rory said:

This is being done "in association" with ATG so there may be plans for a West End outing after Brum.

Or a tour.

[Deleted]

Its always been a very popular maybe even a cult film and I can see it working pretty well on stage. Sean Foley is doing a lot of premieres in Brum and actively looking to get stuff to transfer to the West End.

This would have good potential to tour at least if it gets a bit of a buzz and could go into West End for a run if the market was there.

[mistressjojo]

Oct 12, 2023 19:16:44 GMT @original9 said:

Its always been a very popular maybe even a cult film and I can see it working pretty well on stage. Sean Foley is doing a lot of premieres in Brum and actively looking to get stuff to transfer to the West End.

This would have good potential to tour at least if it gets a bit of a buzz and could go into West End for a run if the market was there.

It's certainly achieved cult status. I just went to a 36th anniversary screening last month.
And Paul McGann still gets stopped in the street by uni students a few times a week!

I think this production will have to choose between being faithful to the original to please the fans, and changing things up to attract a new audience. 
Because the die hards won't like too much change. 

[Jan]

I can't see the point of adapting this for the stage, the film is available for anyone who wants to see it and as it was an original screenplay there's no scope for a different adaptation. I suppose there will be an audience for it mostly of the middle-aged who saw it when it came out 37 years ago. For some reason I didn't see it when it was released although it would have been exactly the type of thing I would have liked - I saw it for the first time a couple of years ago and was totally underwhelmed. Maybe it's one of those that have been so influential that they now look mundane.

[talkingheads]

It essentially works as a two hander for most of the film so it should work brilliantly onstage. Bruce Robinson's dialogue is genius and the fact he is adapting his own script gives me a lot more hope. Richard E Grant is a hell of an act to follow though, even harder for the new actor not to slip into parody or pastiche.

[sukhavati]

Oct 13, 2023 8:17:22 GMT Jan said:

I can't see the point of adapting this for the stage, the film is available for anyone who wants to see it and as it was an original screenplay there's no scope for a different adaptation. I suppose there will be an audience for it mostly of the middle-aged who saw it when it came out 37 years ago. For some reason I didn't see it when it was released although it would have been exactly the type of thing I would have liked - I saw it for the first time a couple of years ago and was totally underwhelmed. Maybe it's one of those that have been so influential that they now look mundane.

According to the Guardian article, Bruce Robinson wrote the novel before writing the screenplay. I've only seen the film once myself and for the life of me, I couldn't understand why Marwood was friends with Withnail. Curious who would play the roles as well as lecherous Uncle Monty. Intrigued to see how the Camberwell Carrot translates to the stage...

[oxfordsimon]

They really shouldn't be promoting this as 

"Birmingham Rep presents the world premiere stage adaptation of iconic comedy Withnail and I."

Given that it received a stage adaptation in 2013

link

It is the premiere of this version but not a first ever stage outing

[Marwood]

I’m sure there’s already a thread about this elsewhere on the forum, I have not heard anything about who is going to be in it.

[danb]

Has Bruce Robinson adapted this? Is that why its being promoted as such?

(Yes he has, directed by Sean Foley).

[paplazaroo]

Jack Farthing would be great casting for this, his character in Rain Dogs is pretty much the brief.

[TallPaul]

Threads merged.

[Rory]

[marob]

Copied from WOS: Robert Sheehan as Withnail, Adonis Siddique as Marwood. Uncle Monty is Malcolm Sinclar

[Dave B]

Is this planned for the West End?

[zahidf]

Mar 18, 2024 15:41:02 GMT Dave B said:

Is this planned for the West End?

Feels like a big name cast for just a month in Birmingham..

[nash16]

Mar 18, 2024 15:41:02 GMT Dave B said:

Is this planned for the West End?

Small ATG venue UK tour then ATG venue in West End, reviews pending.

[Marwood]

Mar 18, 2024 11:25:08 GMT marob said:

Copied from WOS: Robert Sheehan as Withnail, Adonis Siddique as Marwood. Uncle Monty is Malcolm Sinclar

I won’t be able to watch Pie In The Sky again with Uncle Monty in it 🤣 I’ll see if it ends up in London but I’ll probably stick to the film.

[Deal J]

Good casting with Robert Sheehan. I imagine he would also have been good in the role as Marwood ("I")... now I'm wishing for a NT Frankenstein type production where the leads alternate both roles 

[QueerTheatre]

Comedian and Cabaret star Sooz Kempner is also in this... which added it instantly to my must see list.

[curiouskc]

Robert Sheehan as Withnail?! OMG, that is perfect! Ok so I was already interested in this but now I am scrambling for tickets.

[theatrenerd]