Rowan Atkinson to Bring New Sketch Show Rowan Live to West End

Rowan Atkinson will return to the London stage in Rowan Live, a new comedy sketch show. The production will play the Gillian Lynne Theatre from 8 February to 13 March for 30 performances, as reported by WhatsOnStage.

The run is short. Just over a month. A press night, the official opening performance attended by critics, is scheduled for 16 February.

Rowan Live is built around sketches. The bill mixes familiar characters with new writing. It will feature Mr Bean and Blackadder, two of the roles most associated with Atkinson.

The new material has a familiar team behind it. Atkinson has created it with Richard Curtis, Ben Elton and Howard Goodall. Curtis and Elton worked with him on Blackadder. Goodall wrote the music for that series and will provide music for this stage show.

Behind the scenes, Raz Shaw will direct. The show is presented by Playful Productions in association with PBJ Management. The Gillian Lynne Theatre is a large West End house on Drury Lane, home to big musicals and limited-season plays.

Tickets go on sale this week. Priority booking opens on 7 October at 9am. Public booking follows from 12pm on the same day.

Atkinson has a long history on stage and screen. His West End credits include Quartermaine's Terms, Simon Gray's play about teachers at an English school, as noted by the BBC. On film, Mr Bean's Holiday took £6.4 million at the box office over a weekend, according to Reuters.

For fans, this means a rare chance to see the sketches live. Thirty shows. One theatre. Old favourites next to brand-new jokes.