A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Gynaecologic Oncology Unit at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center of New York City is a European premiere from acclaimed American playwright Halley Feiffer, starring actor, comedian and presenter Cariad Lloyd (Peep Show, Channel 4; Have I Got News For You, BBC; West End’s Austentatious, Lady Carad’s Characters (nominated for the Comedy Awards Best Newcomer 2011), Griefcast (Creator/Host – Winner of Best Podcast of the year 2018, Best Entertainment and Best Interview)).
Karla, a foul-mouthed twenty-something comedian, and Don, a middle-aged man embroiled in a nasty divorce, are brought together unexpectedly when their cancer-stricken mothers become roommates in hospital. Together, this unlikely duo must negotiate some of life’s biggest challenges, while making some of the world’s most inappropriate jokes.
Can these two very lost people learn to laugh through their pain and lean on each other, when all they really want to do is run away?
Cariad will be joined by Rob Crouch (Oliver Reed: Wild Thing (nominated for the What’s On Stage Award for Best Solo Performance 2014), St James Theatre, Gilded Balloon and UK Tour), Kristen Milward (Plunder, National Theatre; A Little Chaos) and Cara Chase (Mountain Language, The Royal Court).
Many are aware of the devastating statistic that 1 in 2 people will get cancer and this play speaks directly to those around the suffers and the challenges we encounter. This bold, funny and heartwrenching production explores different kinds of love and how often the crucible of pain can serve to strengthen bonds that had, in many ways, seemed irreconcilable.
Halley Feiffer comments, “The play is a romantic comedy in many senses, that just happens to be set in a cancer hospital. It was very loosely inspired by my experience being with my own mother at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre. I was inspired by being in the hospital with someone you love when they’re suffering, when there’s a lot of unanswered questions and when you feel pretty powerless to take their pain and fear away. Certainly to take your own pain and fear away is a humbling experience and I found that I was drawn to a lot of self-soothing behaviours which ultimately provided a good deal of relief and ultimately some comedy.”
This is a much-anticipated return to the Finborough Theatre for Halley Feiffer who’s Outer Critics’ Circle Award nominated I’m Gonna Pray For You So Hard sold out in 2017.
A Funny Thing Happened… received its critically acclaimed New York Times Critic’s Pick world premiere Off-Broadway in 2016 at the MCC Theater at Lucille Lortel Theatre before its West Coast premiere at the Geffen Playhouse.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Gynaecologic Oncology Unit at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center of New York City is at Finborough Theatre 2nd – 27th October 2018.
