Malvern Theatre Players

A Bunch of Amateurs 

by Ian Hislop and Nick Newman

Presented by arrangement with Samuel French Ltd 

Keen to boost his flagging career, fading Hollywood action hero Jefferson Steele arrives in England to play King Lear in Stratford – only to find that this is not the birthplace of the Bard, but a sleepy Suffolk village. And instead of Kenneth Branagh and Dame Judi Dench, the cast are a bunch of amateurs trying to save their theatre from developers. The enthusiastic am-dram thespians test Jefferson’s monstrous ego, vanity and insecurity to the limit as acting worlds collide and his career implodes, but he finally discovers some truths about himself – along with his inner Lear.

Originally conceived as a film in 2008 starring Burt Reynolds, Derek Jacobi and Samantha Bond, it was premiered as a Play at the Watermill Theatre in 2014.

“terrific comedy packed with killer comic dialogue ….. plenty of twists and turns” –  Whatsonstage

“Deliciously stuffed with Shakespeare …… a laugh a minute” – Mail on Sunday

“a tremendous laugh … terrific tenderness … captures the love and spirit of the best amateur performances” – Stratford Herald