Messiah heads for the Rep

Top-line cast to star in a comedy of Biblical proportions.

Three towering talents play a cast of thousands in this new comedy by the writer of the Olivier Award-winning West End hit The 39 Steps as Patrick Barlow’s The Messiah opens at Birmingham Repertory Theatre later this year.

Starring Hugh Dennis, Lesley Garrett and John Marquez, the funniest and most magical nativity you’ll ever see opens at The REP on 18th–27th October ahead of a UK tour and tickets are now on sale.

A travelling theatre troupe of two actors and an opera singer are set to arrive on camel back in Birmingham to masterfully enact the greatest story ever told. Join the absurdly talented Maurice Rose (Hugh Dennis), the alarmingly unpredictable Ronald Bream RAC (John Marquez), and the distinguished diva Mrs Doreen Small (Lesley Garrett), in a hilarious Christmas comedy that conjures up the sublime, the ridiculous and the truly angelic.

Joseph, Mary, the Archangel Gabriel, Herod, God and an ox are all authentically portrayed in this vibrant comedy weaving visual invention with a hint of the divine, The Messiah is a love letter to theatre, theology and the great man himself.

Hugh Dennis is one of Britain’s best loved comics and an award winning and multi-award nominated actor and writer. He’s star of BBC1’s hilarious sitcom Outnumbered and the BBC2 hit panel show, Mock The Week. He is also a firm radio favourite, both writing and presenting Radio 4’s award winning comedy The Now Show and Radio 2’s It’s Been A Bad Week.

Lesley Garrett CBE is Britain’s best-known soprano, regularly appearing in opera, musical theatre, concert, television and on CD’s. For more than 30 years she has enjoyed one of the most successful careers of any modern-day, classically trained soprano. From Rossini’s famed opera The Barber of Seville at the Coliseum, to West End musical hits, The Sound of Music and Carousel, Garrett has become a real national treasure.

Coventry-born John Marquez is best known for his role as PC Joe Penhale in the hit ITV Comedy series, Doc Martin. TV roles include Porridge, In the Club, Death in Paradise, Hotel Babylon and Suburban Shootout. Recent theatre roles include Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (The Savoy Theatre) and Once in a Lifetime (The Young Vic).

The Messiah opens at Birmingham Repertory Theatre from 18th–27th October. Tickets are now on sale and available from 0121 236 4455 or birmingham-rep.co.uk