FOR ONE MILLION POUNDS, LET’S PLAY!

Rory Bremner,Britain’s top satirical impressionist and renowned comedian, stars as Chris Tarrant in James Graham’s thrilling and provocative drama, Quiz coming to Newcastle Theatre Royal Tue 3 – Sat 7 Oct 2023.

The production explores the real-life story of Charles Ingram, aka the Coughing Major, who conned the world’s most popular TV quiz show, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire out of £1,000,000. Or did he?

Nominated for two Olivier Awards including Best New Comedy, James Graham’s smash hit play, Quiz, transferred to London’s West End with sensational reviews in 2018, following a sold-out run at Chichester Festival Theatre. And in 2020, millions tuned in to see the three-part ITV adaptation starring Michael Sheen, Matthew Macfadyen and Sian Clifford.

September 2001: The nation is gripped by a scandal that remains, to this day, a mystery. In an outrageously audacious heist, Charles Ingram, aka the Coughing Major, and his accomplices duped the world’s most popular TV quiz show, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, out of £1,000,000. Or did they? And if they did cheat, how did they really do it?

Uncovering new evidence, it’s time to ask you, the audience, to put fingers on keypads and answer the ultimate 50/50: guilty or not guilty?

As a mimic, Rory Bremner has provided definitive impersonations of PMs and Presidents from Major, Blair, Cameron and Brown, to Clinton, Bush and Trump and has been a regular on many popular TV show including Whose Line is it Anyway, Spitting Image, Have I Got News for You, and Mock the Week. He also appeared on Strictly Come Dancing when he took to the dance floor with his partner Erin Boag.

Rory Bremnersays: “I’m very excited about this; not just the challenge of playing Chris Tarrant in long form but bringing the scandal that really caught the public’s imagination to a live audience every night. What really happened? The jury’s out – and this time it’s you!

“I didn’t have to phone-a-friend. It wasn’t even 50/50. This was a role I had to take on, with A: a brilliant director; B: a terrific script; C: a different audience live each night; and D: a story that divides opinion to this day. Final answer? Ask the audience!”

Quiz plays Newcastle Theatre Royal Tue 3 – Sat 7 Oct 2023. Tickets can be purchased at www.theatreroyal.co.uk or from the Theatre Royal Box Office on 0191 232 7010.