Jumping The Shark to tour UK from this month

A new play celebrating the TV sitcom is touring the UK from later this month.

Jumping The Shark revolves around five strangers who all want to realise their dreams through comedy, so sign up for a seminar with a visiting American sitcom writer.

But, the blurb says, ‘as he reveals the tricks of the trade, their everyday lives are exposed, leading to mix ups, farcical revelations... and gut-wrenching tragedy’.

The play is said to have been inspired by comedy writers such as Only Fools and Horses creator John Sullivan and  Brian Cooke, of Man About The House.

It has been penned by David Canto, whose TV credits include My Famil and Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, and playwright Michael Kingsbury, who also directs. He previously directed the vintage comedy projects Round The Horne…Revisited and Ying Tong.

The cast of Jumping The Shark  includes  David Schaal, who played Jay’s father Terry in The Inbetweeners; Harry Visinoni, who was Seb Franklin in Coronation Streetl Sarah Moyle who played receptionist Valerie Pitman in BBC’s Doctor; Jasmine Armfield played Rebecca Fowler in EastEnders from 2014 to 202, Robin Sebastian, who has played comedy legend Kenneth Williams multiple times on TV and on stage; and Jack Trueman was Nick in ‘Fever Pitch’ at The Hope Theatre, Islington.

Jumping The Shark is the term given to the moment a TV show loses its sense of direction and comes from an episode of Happy Days in which Fonzie, dressed in his  trademark leather jacket, jumped a shark on water skis.

The tour kicks off at Bury St Edmonds Theatre Royal from January 28 to February 4 then visits:  Southend  Palace Theatre from February 7 to 11; Portsmouth Kings Theatre from the 15th to the 18th; Dartford  Orchard Theatre from the 21st to 25th; Crewe’s Lyceum Theatre from March 2 to 4; Edinburgh’s Rose Theatre from March 7 to 19; Tunbridge Wells Theatre from March 23 to 25; and the Basingstoke Haymarket from March 28 to April 1.

Published: 9 Jan 2023