Katherine Parkinson and Kara Tointon star in Absent Friends Revival

Katherine Parkinson, who made her name in Channel 4’s The IT Crowd and Kara Tointon,  Eastenders’ Dawn Swann and winner of Strictly Come Dancing 2010, are set to star in the West End revival of Alan Ayckbourn’s Absent Friends. 

Set in the 70s and performed in real time, Absent Friends is a classic comedy of jealousy, disloyalty and social tensions running high. Katherine plays emotionally fraught Diana, hosting the tea party from hell for Colin, a delirious old friend who has recently lost his wife. Diana is fighting to conceal her distress at the knowledge of her husband’s affair with young, attractive Evelyn, played by Kara Tointon. Evelyn’s unemotional demeanor and lack of shame at her own behavior causes friction, pushing her to the fringes of the group. 

Directed by the critically acclaimed Jeremy Herrin, whose previous works include Death and The Maiden at the Harold Pinter Theatre, Haunted Child at the Royal Court and South Downs at the Minerva Theatre in Chichester, Absent Friends will run at the Harold Pinter Theatre from xx until the 14th April.

Katherine Parkinson, who made her name in Channel 4’s The IT Crowd and Kara Tointon, Eastenders’ Dawn Swann and winner of Strictly Come Dancing 2010, are set to star in the West End revival of Alan Ayckbourn’s Absent Friends.

Set in the 70s and performed in real time, Absent Friends is a classic comedy of jealousy, disloyalty and social tensions running high. Katherine plays emotionally fraught Diana, hosting the tea party from hell for Colin, a delirious old friend who has recently lost his wife. Diana is fighting to conceal her distress at the knowledge of her husband’s affair with young, attractive Evelyn, played by Kara. Evelyn’s unemotional demeanor and lack of shame at her own behavior causes friction, pushing her to the fringes of the group.

Directed by Jeremy Herrin, whose previous works include Death and The Maiden at the Harold Pinter Theatre, Haunted Child at the Royal Court and South Downs at the Minerva Theatre in Chichester, Absent Friends is showing at the Harold Pinter Theatre until the 14th April.