NOT the National Theatre presents the Olivier Award-winning farce 'Hysteria' by Terry Johnson at the Torch Theatre on May 17. First seen at the Royal Court Theatre in 1993, attracting universal critical acclaim and winning the Olivier Award for Best Comedy, the play subsequently transferred to London's West End.
'Physician, heal thyself'... Set in 1938 in the Hampstead study of elderly and ailing Sigmund Freud, a seemingly ordinary evening descends into hilarious farce when a neurotic naked woman takes refuge in his closet just as Salvador Dali arrives to pay homage to his hero.
What is Jessica's secret and will Freud bow to her demands of therapy? Will Freud's friend Dr. Yahuda persuade him that Moses was not an Egyptian? Will Salvador Dali be disillusioned by his idol, and will Sigmund be able to prevent them all from meeting?
This sparkling piece of intellectual slapstick is played out against the darker background of Freud's own fears and obsessions, finally rising to a crescendo of true Freudian hysteria.
'Hysteria' is one in a long list of Terry Johnson's popular and critical successes. Few can boast a string of both writing and directional hits such as his. His play 'Dead Funny' also won an Olivier Award for Best Comedy and other awards include the Evening Standard Award, Time Out, Critics' Circle and Lloyds Bank Playwright of the Year.
An earlier play, 'Insignificance', was later filmed by Nicholas Roeg and 'Cleo, Camping, Emmanuel and Dick,' his look at life behind the scenes of the 'Carry On' films, which premiered at the Royal National Theatre, was subsequently filmed for television.
His adaptation and production of 'The Graduate' has just opened on Broadway and in Australia.
Brought to you by the same production team responsible for previous Not the National Theatre successes such as 'Vita and Virginia,' 'Not About Heroes' and 'Playing Sinatra,' this is the first national tour of this intriguing and funny play.
Tickets priced at £8 (£6 discounts) may be purchased from the Box Office (telephone 01646 695267).