From the group that brought the popular Dick Barton series to Croydon the Warehouse Phoenix group are back with a brand new play.

After the closure of the Warehouse Theatre, the Warehouse Phoenix theatre company are making sure the spirit of the theatre lives on by putting on productions at Fairfield Halls.

Their latest play, The Road to Nowhere, is written by Sean Cook whose work was voted as the best outstanding play at this year’s International Playwriting Festival held at Fairfield.

It is directed by Ted Craig, director of Warehouse Phoenix, and features Kit Benjamin, star of the Dick Barton series, Susie Emmett and Derek Wright.

In this comedy, Geoff - played by Benjamin - is an ex-Warners Greencoat who lives on top of a cliff on the Isle of Wight.

Geoff is upset as his cat refuses to use the new cat flap, his gardener refuses to mow the lawn after Geoff’s wife fell of the crumbling cliff and his neighbour has moved to a new estate up the road.

His neighbour begs Geoff to join him but he loves his house even though cracks are starting to appear in the walls and his house is edging ever closer to the cliff.

Benjamin, who has recently completed a year understudying and playing the lead role of Max Bialystock in Mel Brooks’ The Producers, at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, says he is excited to be putting on another Warehouse production again.

He says: "Rehearsals are going really well, we are in our first week of rehearsing but so far so good.

"It has been a little while now since my last foray into Croydon as I have been a regular visitor over the last 12 years.

"The play is a gentle comedy. There is quite a lot of poignant moments in it and there are quite a lot of black comedy moments in it. I think many people will be able to identify with the play.

"We are lucky as we have the author in the room while we are rehearsing so he can help us out with different things.

"It is all very much home territory for me as I have worked with Ted before on a lot of the Dick Barton shows the Warehouse did which were great.

"Ted is trying to keep the Warehouse spirit going and that is important. It has been an important part of my life definitely."

Warehouse Phoenix presents: The Road to Nowhere, Fairfield Halls, Park Lane, October 2 to 5, 7.30pm and 2.30pm, £12-£16. Call 02086889291 or visit Fairfield.co.uk.

 


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