Jumping The Shark, a new comedy about the perils of sitcom writing will play Upstairs at the Gatehouse in London.
A celebration of the TV sitcom and its place in our hearts, inspired by some of the greatest comedy writing legends – John Sullivan (‘Only Fools and Horses’) Tom Anderson (‘Cheers’), and Brian Cooke (‘Man About The House’, ‘Round The Horne… Revisited’).
Jumping The Shark is by a new comedy writing partnership – David Cantor (BBC hits ‘My Family’, ‘My Family’, ‘Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps’ and ‘Green Green Grass’) and Michael Kingsbury whose writing credits include Seduced at The Finborough, All Manner Of Means at BAC and Contact.Com at the Park Theatre, who also directs.
WThe play will star several well-known TV actors including David Schaal (Taffy in the UK version of ‘The Office’, and Terry Cartwright in ‘The Inbetweeners’; Harry Visinoni (Coronation Stree); Sarah Moyle (Valerie Pitman in BBC’s ‘Doctors’); Jasmine Armfield (Rebecca Fowler in ‘EastEnders’); Robin Sebastian (‘Babs: The True Story of a British Icon‘, ‘Lost Sitcoms – Hancock’s Half Hour’); and, Jack Trueman (Tom in ‘Shark Bait’).
The title of the show refers to a common tv term, Jumping the Shark – the moment when an established and long-running TV series changes, from a relatively small change, like the introduction of a new gimmick, to a radical one, like a genre shift. The show feels the need to update in order to hold the fanbase. But it usually has the opposite effect – viewers realise that the show has finally run out of ideas. It’s reached its peak; it’ll never be as good again; it has nowhere to go but down. In other words, it’s Ruined FOREVER.
The expression was born after a defining episode of ‘Happy Days; in which Fonzie, dressed in his trademark leather jacket, jumped a real shark on water skis.
The play is produced by by Peter Frosdick and Classical Events. The show will also tour the UK, travelling to Portsmouth (15-18 Feb); Dartford (21-25 Feb); Edinburgh (14-18 Mar); Tunbridge Wells (23-25 Mar); and, Basingstoke (28 Mar – 1 Apr).
Jumping the Shark will play at Upstairs at the Gatehouse from 7-12 March 2023.
