A stage version of classic 1951 Ealing Studios film The Man in the White Suit is set to arrive in the West End later this year.
Sean Foley will adapt and direct the comedy, which opens at the Wyndham’s Theatre on October 8 after a three week season at Theatre Royal Bath.
Stephen Mangan will star as Sidney Stratton, who develops a fabric that never wears out or gets dirty. His breakthrough poses a threat to manufacturers and trade unions and it is only Daphne, the mill owner’s daughter played by Kara Tointon, who shows him sympathy as his life crumbles.
The play will feature a cast of fourteen, including actor musicians and a specially composed score.
Michael Taylor will provide set and costume design for the show, eight years after co-creating a stage version of The Ladykillers with Foley. The production also reunites Foley with Mangan who previously worked on the Olivier Award winning comedy Jeeves and Wooster together.
The iconic 1951 film, directed by Alexander Mackendrick starred Alec Guinness, Joan Greenwood and Cecil Parker and was nominated for an Academy Award for best screenplay.
The Man in the White Suit will run from October 8-January 11 at Wyndham’s Theatre.
