Labour of Love Tickets

James Graham is wonderfully prolific, responsible for a string of critically acclaimed plays from 2005 to the present day, including Monster Raving Loony in 2016, The Vote in 2015, Finding Neverland in 2014 and The Angry Brigade in the same year. Labour of Love is his latest masterpiece, due on stage at the Noel Coward theatre in autumn 2017.

Combine the excellent playwriting skills of ex-actor and TV writer James Graham with the respected Michael Grandage Company and Headlong, and what do you get? It's the world première of James Graham's new play starring Martin Freeman and Sarah Lancashire, and it's being billed as a razor-sharp political comedy. The play also reunites the playwright with the respected director Jeremy Herrin. Together they were responsible for collaborating on This House, another popular hit. And it's already looking like a match made in heaven.

Playing at the Noël Coward Theatre from the 15th September for a restricted 11 week run, this is an in-depth and highly creative look at one particular fictional Labour MP, David Lyons. He cares deeply about modernisation and electability, but his constituency agent Jean Whittaker cares more about principles and the community she serves.

Unlike many political plays this one isn't set in the political hotbed that is Westminster. Instead the action takes place in the Labour party's traditional northern heartland. The resulting clashes of political philosophy, culture and class are set against the history of the Labour party itself as it morphs through Kinnock to Blair and Brown, onwards to Corbyn... and beyond.

James Graham is no stranger to political works. His play The Vote was broadcast on TV during the 2015 General Election, and Privacy wowed audiences at the Donmar Warehouse as well as in hard-to-please New York City.

Actor Martin Freeman is loved for his roles in The Hobbit, Love Actually, The Hitchhiker's Guide the the Galaxy, Sherlock and, of course, Ricky Gervais' 'The Office'. Sarah Lancashire is famous for her role in Coronation Street as well as numerous TV treats including Where the Heart Is. She won a BAFTA for her work on Happy Valley and also starred in Blood Brothers and Guys and Dolls in theatreland. With a cast this clever and a playwright so talented, things are looking good... very good!