Production images have been released for the world premiere of Vulcan 7, a new comedy written by and co-starring Adrian Edmondson and Nigel Planer, well known for the award-winning classic The Young Ones and The Comic Strip Presents… The cast is completed by Lois Chimimba (Common, wonder.land) with Steven Marmion directing. Vulcan 7 is currently at Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud Theatre until Saturday 29 September and will then visit Cambridge, Newcastle, Bath, Richmond, Malvern and Edinburgh through to Saturday 10 November.

Vulcan 7 reunites British actor-comedians Adrian Edmondson and Nigel Planer who rose to fame in ‘80s TV sitcoms The Comic Strip Presents… and the The Young Ones and who went on to appear together in Filthy, Rich and Catflap and in the spoof band Bad News. They last performed together in 2000 for A Comic Strip Presents - Four Men in a Car and Four Men in a Plane and last wrote together on The Young Ones tour in 1982. In their new comedyVulcan 7 they star as former drama students with Lois Chimimba as a young film runner who must mediate between the pair.

Gary Savage and Hugh Delavois were students at RADA together. Now in their sixties, they meet in an Icelandic wasteland, on the set of a fantasy movie. Hugh has had a plodding career but has landed the small but regular role of Vulcan’s butler and he’s making his seventh film for the franchise. Gary is a one-time Hollywood A-lister who has fallen on lean times, and is playing a guest monster with four hours in make-up and one word in the script.

Sparks fly inside the trailer as old wounds are opened. Leela, a runner, attempts to keep the peace between them, but outside the trailer things are not going to plan either: the director’s gone AWOL, the catering truck’s on the wrong side of a ravine, and the volcanic activity is growing more and more lively by the minute…

Adrian Edmondson (Gary Savage) is well known for his role in TV sitcom Bottom which he wrote and starred in with Rik Mayall. As well as The Young Ones, The Comic Strip Presents… and Filthy, Rich and Catflap, his other television credits include Jonathan Creek, Blackadder and the BBC adaptation of War & Peace. On stage he has appeared in The Rocky Horror Show in the West End and Twelfth Night at the RSC. Film credits include Captain Peavey in Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

Nigel Planer (Hugh Delavois) is an actor, comedian, novelist and playwright who has worked extensively in the West End with leading roles in original productions of Evita, Chicago, We Will Rock You, Wicked, Hairspray, Feelgood and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory for which he received an Olivier Award nomination. In addition to The Young Ones, The Comic Strip Presents… , Filthy, Rich and Catflap, his other credits include the spoof actor character Nicholas Craig and Doctor Who: Live tour. He has been nominated for numerous awards and won the BRIT award for Best Comedy Record in 1984 for his appearance in The Young Ones.

Lois Chimimba (Leela) has appeared with the National Theatre most recently in Common, and previously Peter Pan and wonder.land. Other theatre credits include Pitcairn with Shakespeare’s Globe and Chichester Festival Theatre and Nightingale and Chase at the Royal Court. She has appeared on television in the drama series Trust Meand on film in The Proposal.

Steven Marmion (Director) is currently Artistic Director at Soho Theatre where he has been at the helm since 2010. Productions include Only The Brave and the award-winning Madam Butterfly’s Child and Mad Margaret’s Revenge. He has directed workshops for the National Theatre, Hampstead Theatre, Royal Court and the RSC with whom he is an Education Associate Practitioner. Associate director credits include Rupert Goold's production of Macbeth and its Broadway transfer.  

Full gallery of pictures here

All pictures by Nobby Clark

VULCAN 7 2018 AUTUMN TOUR SCHEDULE

Yvonne Arnaud Theatre 
Wednesday 19 - Saturday 29 September
Millbrook, Guildford GU1 3UX
Box Office: 01483 440077   
www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk

Cambridge Arts Theatre  
Monday  1 – Saturday 6 October
6 St Edward’s Passage, Cambridge CB2 3PJ
Box Office: 01223 503333    
www.cambridgeartstheatre.com 

Newcastle Theatre Royal
Monday 8 - Saturday 13 October
Grey Street, Newcastle NE1 6BR
Box Office: 0191 244 2500               
www.theatreroyal.co.uk
Performance schedule: Mon – Sat 7.30pm, Matinees Thurs 2pm & Sat 2.30pm

Theatre Royal Bath
Monday 15 - Saturday 20 October
Sawclose, Bath BA1 1ET
Box Office: 01225 448815                
www.theatreroyal.org.uk
Performance schedule: Mon – Sat 7.30pm, Matinees Wed & Sat 2.30pm

Richmond Theatre 
Monday 22 – Saturday 27 October
The Green, Richmond, TW9 1QJ 
Box Office: 0844 871 7651   
www.atgtickets.com

Malvern Festival Theatre  
Monday 29 October – Saturday 3 November
Grange Road, Malvern, WR14 3HB
Box Office: 01684 569256               
www.malvern-theatres.co.uk 

King’s Theatre Edinburgh
Monday 5 - Saturday 10 November
2 Leven St, Edinburgh, EH3 9LQ
Box Office: 0131 529 6000
www.capitaltheatres.com/kings
Performance schedule: Mon – Sat 7.30pm, Matinees Wed & Sat 2.30pm