Five strangers gather in the conference room of a small hotel in Farnham. Despite character differences, one thing links Pam, Gavin, Morgan, Dale, and Amy... they all want to realise their dreams through comedy. Frank Donohue, the finest sitcom writer of his generation, has flown in from Los Angeles to conduct a seminar teaching his five lucky disciples how to write the perfect TV sitcom. But as he reveals the tricks of the trade, their everyday lives are exposed, leading to mix ups, farcical revelations... and gut-wrenching tragedy.
The cast features several well-known TV favourites:
David Schaal is an American-born British actor, director, screenwriter, and comedian, best known as Taffy in the UK version of TV sitcom ‘The Office’, and Terry Cartwright in ‘The Inbetweeners’ TV series and spin-off films.
Harry Visinoni was Seb Franklin in ITV’s ‘Coronation Street’, a character who made his exit in May 2021 in a hard-hitting hate-crime storyline inspired by a real-life case. It went on to receive nominations for Best Storyline and Best Single Episode at the British Soap Awards.
Sarah Moyle is best known for playing receptionist Valerie Pitman in BBC’s ‘Doctors’, a role that won her Best Comedy Performance in 2019 at the British Soap Awards.
Jasmine Armfield played Rebecca Fowler in ‘EastEnders’ from 2014-2020. Since leaving the soap, she has appeared in BBC’s ‘Doctors’, ‘Casualty’, and the feature film, ‘The Loneliest Boy In The World’. Jumping The Shark marks her stage debut.
Robin Sebastian has played comedy legend Kenneth Williams multiple times on TV and on stage, including ‘Babs: The True Story of a British Icon‘ (BBC1), ‘Lost Sitcoms - Hancock’s Half Hour’ (BBC Four), ‘Horne A’Plenty’, ‘Round the Horne… Revisited’ (West End and UK tour), ‘Round the Horne – Unseen and Uncut’ (UK tour) and ‘Stop Messing About’ (West End and UK tour). His other credits include Cardinal Richelieu in ‘The Three Musketeers’ at Bristol Old Vic, Robin Craigie in a number one tour of Noël Coward’s ‘Volcano’ and Carmen Ghia in the national tour of ‘The Producers’.
Jack Trueman was Nick in ‘Fever Pitch’ at The Hope Theatre, Islington, and made his screen debut as Tom in ‘Shark Bait’.
Michael Kingsbury’s directing work includes the West End and touring hit ‘Round The Horne…Revisited’, ‘Ying Tong’ at the Ambassadors and ‘In Lambeth’ at Southwark Playhouse.
Produced by Peter Frosdick and Classical Events.
Jumping the Shark is 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.
Jumping the Shark 2023 UK Tour dates
Bury St Edmunds
Theatre Royal
Saturday 28 January -
Saturday 4 Feb
https://theatreroyal.org/shows/jumping-the-shark/
Southend
Palace Theatre
Tuesday 7 - Saturday 11 February
https://southendtheatres.org.uk/Online/tickets-jumping-the-shark-southend-2023
Portsmouth
Kings Theatre
Wednesday 15 - Saturday 18 February
https://www.kingsportsmouth.co.uk/whatson-event/jumping-the-shark/
Dartford
Orchard Theatre
Tuesday 21 - Saturday 25 February
https://orchardtheatre.co.uk/Online/tickets-jumping-the-shark-dartford-2023
Crewe
Lyceum Theatre
Thursday 2 - Saturday 4 March
https://crewelyceum.co.uk/Online/tickets-jumping-the-shark-crewe-2023
Edinburgh
Rose Theatre
Tuesday 7 - Saturday 18 March
https://www.citizenticket.co.uk/
Tunbridge Wells
Tunbridge Wells Theatre
Thursday 23 — Saturday 25 March
https://www.assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk/whats-on/jumping-the-shark
Basingstoke
The Haymarket
Tuesday 28 March – Saturday 1 April
https://www.anvilarts.org.uk/whats-on/event/jumping-the-shark
Age guidance 12+
