The Way Old Friends Do comes to York

Actor, writer, and producer of Doctor Who and Sherlock Mark Gatiss directs The Way Old Friends Do, a new comedy by Ian Hallard about devotion, desire, and dancing queens.

In 1988, two school friends tentatively come out to one another: one as gay, the other – more shockingly – as an ABBA fan. Nearly thirty years later, a chance meeting sets them on a brand-new path and they decide to form the world’s first ABBA tribute band – in drag!

But can their friendship survive the tribulations of a life on the road which includes platform boots, fake beards, and a distractingly attractive stranger?

In the cast are Ian Hallard, Donna Berlin (Doctors) James Bradshaw (Endeavour), Sara Crowe (Olivier Award winner for Private Lives), Andrew Horton (Jupiter’s Legacy) and Rose Shalloo (Call The Midwife). The play also features the voices of two of the UK’s best-loved performers, Miriam Margolyes and Paul O’Grady.

As an actor, Ian Hallard’s theatre credits include The Boys in the Band (West End, Whatsonstage Best Actor nomination); Great Britain and Scenes From An Execution (National Theatre). Ian’s TV credits include Doctor Who, Sherlock, Endeavour, The Power, The Crown, Poirot, Marple, Doctors, Crooked House, and The Worst Journey in the World; and on film, Mary, Queen of Scots, The Act, and The Dark Room. His first play Adventurous was produced online by Jermyn Street Theatre in March 2021. Further writing for theatre includes Steenie, about the relationship between King James I and the Duke of Buckingham (Turbine), and Horse-Play (Riverside Studios).

Mark Gatiss has had a long and varied career as a writer, director, and producer, as well as an actor and published author. He is best known as a member of The League of Gentlemen and as the co-creator and executive producer of the multi award-winning BBC series Sherlock, in which he played Mycroft Holmes. He also wrote for and appeared in the modern revival of Doctor Who, and was the writer and executive producer of An Adventure in Space and Time for its 50th anniversary celebrations. He recently directed Steven Moffat’s debut play The Unfriend for Chichester Theatre, which transferred to the Criterion Theatre in the West End.

York Theatre Royal 6-10 June

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