Thursday 30 April to Saturday 16 May 2009

— Start times —
Eves at 7.45pm
Matinees on Sat 9, Wed 13 & Sat 16 May at 2.30pm

Captioned Performance – Tuesday 12 May 7.45pm
Captioned Performance – Wednesday 13 May 2.30pm
BSL Interpreted Performance – Friday 15 May 7.45pm

Mark (Ben Lambert) has quit his job delivering mail to create a children’s book based on the alphabet, with each page comprised of a letter and a baroque illustration. He believes that the profits from his book will hold up his lagging end of the finances in his domestic partnership with girlfriend Stevie (Jenny Platt – Violet Wilson in Coronation St.). But first he has to finish the book, and Mark is notoriously slow in every aspect of his life. His two completed renderings – “A is for Armadillo”, ‘B’ is for Bunny” – have taken 3 months. Only 24 letters to go and “C is for Chimps” has created the equivalent of writer’s block!

Pregnant with his child, Stevie pays their mortgage and all their other bills. She’s neither impressed nor beguiled by Mark’s excruciating-to-behold creative process. “When I come home and see you drawing on your hands and knees, in your underwear, I just want to put my fist through a wall,” she remarks dryly.

With their relationship on the brink of collapse it’s no surprise then that the arrival of two travelling con-artist salesmen, Lawrence (Nick Wilton) and Gabriel (Vinta Morgan) – invited in by a gullible Mark — threatens to finish the job. Taking advantage of Mark’s easygoing nature, the men inveigle their way into the house and a light situation comedy turns into a situation nightmare with the announcement that the walls must be treated with “Excote,” or the house could be worthless tomorrow.

Chimps celebrated its world premier at London’s Hampstead Theatre in 1997. The Daily Telegraph described it as “gripping, fast, darkly comic and blessed with terrific dialogue,” and The Independent called it “thrillingly unbearable.” The International Herald Tribune said, “Chimps is the suburban English answer to David Mamet’s Glengarry Glen Ross, where the salesmen meet the suckers only to indulge in an orgy of mutual self destruction.”

The twists and turns of the plot, coupled with razor-sharp dialogue, will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout.

The New Wolsey, Civic Drive, Ipswich, Suffolk IP1 2AS

For more information go to
www.wolseytheatre.co.uk

suffolkartlink.org.uk