Coming October 2026

Keen to boost his flagging career, fading Hollywood action hero Jefferson Steele arrives in England to play King Lear in Stratford - only to find that this is not the birthplace of the Bard, but a sleepy Suffolk village. And instead of Kenneth Branagh and Dame Judi Dench, the cast are a bunch of amateurs trying to save their theatre from developers. Jefferson's monstrous ego, vanity and insecurity are tested to the limit by the enthusiastic am-dram thespians. As acting worlds collide and Jefferson's career implodes, he discovers some truths about himself - along with his inner Lear!

"terrific comedy packed with killer comic dialogue... plenty of twists and turns" ***** Whatsonstage

"Deliciously stuffed with Shakespeare...a laugh-a-minute" **** Mail on Sunday

Bella Manningham, once a beauty but now pallid and withdrawn, suffers from what she believes are the early stages of insanity, a disease from which her mother died. Her husband, Jack Manningham, struggles to help her, and spends his evenings out on the town in order to cope. Or so he makes her believe.

Bella evidently misplaces items from time to time, some of which are gifts from her husband. Because she cannot remember moving or misplacing these items, she thinks she is going crazy. It becomes clear, however, that her husband is behind these petty inconsistencies in order to slowly drive her insane and torture her into believing they are her fault.

But what of the dimming lights and footsteps heard within the house while her husband is away? Are these simply a figment of her delusional mind?

Then late one evening, a stranger comes to the house while Jack is out and explains he is there to help Mrs. Manningham. Who is this man and what secrets does he know? Why is Jack tormenting his wife? Is Bella truly going mad? This Victorian thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat as you discover the mysteries of the Manningham home.