The curtain is set to rise at a Chester theatre on its first production of 2026, a comedy by the writer of smash hits Shirley Valentine, Educating Rita and Blood Brothers.
One For The Road, written by acclaimed playwright Willy Russell, will be staged by actors at Chester Little Theatre 17th-24th January at 7.30pm, directed by Jonathan Johnston.
“This wickedly observant comedy by the author of Educating Rita finds Dennis on the eve of his thirty-fifth birthday, making a last-ditch attempt to break away from the confines of his middle-class, housing-estate existence,” explained Mr Johnston.
“Reaching breaking point at his birthday party he packs a rucksack to make his escape but everyone wants to accompany him and he sinks down in front of the television, defeated.
“But there’s always next year – and the year after.”
He added: “We have had so much fun in rehearsals bringing Willy Russell’s brilliant characters to life and we hope our audience will enjoy this production.
“What better way to start 2026 than with a heartwarming comedy to banish the winter blues?”
Commissioned by the Manchester Contact Theatre and written by Russell in 1976, One For The Road (not to be confused with the Harold Pinter play of the same name) was originally entitled The Tupperware Man and performed under this name until a legal threat from Tupperware.
The play was retitled, opening as Painted Veg and Parkinson – the first of a number of titles under which the play would appear before finally becoming known as One For The Road.
Following its original Manchester run, a national tour in 1978 starred Alun Armstrong (New Tricks, Les Miserables, The Choral), Elizabeth Estensen (The Liver Birds, Emmerdale), Philip Jackson (Brassed Off, Little Voice) and Prunella Scales (Fawlty Towers, After Henry, Great Canal Journeys).
Full details of One For The Road – and all upcoming shows at Chester Little Theatre – can be found at www.chesterlittletheatre.co.uk where tickets can also be booked.
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