No longer booking
  • Venue Wyndham's Theatre, London
  • Performance dates Booking to 9 March 2024
  • Running time 1 hour 55 minutes (including interval)
  • Age guidelines 12+

★★★★ “Steven Moffat’s comedy hits the funny bone!” – The Times

The Unfriend is the hilarious new play about middle-class England’s disastrous instinct to always appear nice!

Written by Steven Moffat (Doctor Who, Sherlock) and directed by Mark Gatiss (The Motive and the Cue, The League of Gentleman, Sherlock), this smash-hit comedy returns to the West End’s Wyndham’s Theatre following sell-out runs at Chichester Festival Theatre and in the West End.

An all-star cast includes Lee Mack (Would I Lie To You, Not Going Out), Sarah Alexander (Pennyworth, Jonathan Creek), Frances Barber (Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool) and Nick Sampson (Witness for the Prosecution).

The Unfriend is playing at the Wyndham’s Theatre in London from 16 December 2023 to 9 March 2024.

Manners can be murder in middle class Britain!Now 

While on holiday Peter and Debbie befriend Elsa: a lusty, Trump-loving widow from Denver, USA. She’s less than woke but kind of wonderful. They agree to stay in touch – because no one ever really does, do they?

When Elsa invites herself to stay a few months later, they decide to look her up online. Too late, they learn the truth about Elsa Jean Krakowski. Deadly danger has just boarded a flight to London! What began as a casual holiday friendship is now a threat to the lives of their children.

Peter and Debbie now face the ultimate challenge of the modern world – how do you protect all that you love from mortal peril without seeming a bit impolite?

Because guess who’s coming… to MURDER.

The Unfriend takes a hugely entertaining and satirical look at middle-class England’s disastrous instinct to always appear nice.

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Videos & Photos

Performance Information

Check booking calendar for full details

Stars and Creatives

Lee Mack
Lee Mack
Sarah Alexander
Sarah Alexander
Frances Barber
Frances Barber

Who is in the cast of The Unfriend?

The show stars Lee Mack as Peter, Sarah Alexander as Debbie, Frances Barber as Elsa Jean Krakowski, Nick Sampson as The Neighbour, Muzz Khan as PC Junkin, Maddie Holliday as Rosie and Jem Matthews as Alex.

The company is completed by Christopher Jordan as understudy Peter/The Neighbour, Cathy Walker as understudy Debbie/Elsa, Charlie Richards as understudy Alex/PC Junkin and Poppy Shepherd as understudy Rosie.

Who are the creative team of The Unfriend?

The Unfriend is written by Steven Moffat and directed by Mark Gatiss.

Design is by Robert Jones, lighting by Mark Henderson, sound by Ella Wahlström, video design by Andrzej Goulding and casting by Charlotte Sutton CDG.

Venue Information

Wyndham's Theatre , 32-36 Charing Cross Road, London, WC2H 0DA

Nearest Tube or Train: Leicester Square (Northern line, Piccadilly line)

Nearest Buses: 24, 29, 176

Directions

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Critics' reviews of The Unfriend

★★★★ "The laugh-out-loud tale of a decidedly terrifying interloperr" - The Telegraph (Criterion Theatre)

★★★★ "Steven Moffat’s comedy hits the funny bone" - The Times (Criterion Theatre)

★★★★ "Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat give us a riotous bit of fun" - The Evening Standard (Criterion Theatre)

★★★★ "This is very funny theatre" WestendTheatre (Criterion Theatre)

★★★★ "Effortlessly entertaining" - The Telegraph (Chichester Festival Theatre)

★★★★ "A hilarious dark comedy of good manners" - The Stage (Chichester Festival Theatre)

★★★★ "Cringe-tastic" - The Guardian (Chichester Festival Theatre)

Also see: The Unfriend Reviews Round-up

Frequently Asked Questions

The Unfriend is playing at the Wyndham's Theatre in London
The running time of The Unfriend is 1 hour 55 minutes (including interval)
The age recommendations for The Unfriend are: 12+
Yes, The Unfriend has matinee performances on the following days: Wednesday, Saturday
No, sorry, The Unfriend has now completed its run and is no longer on sale.

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