Beloved West End Comedy Bleak Expectations Wraps Up Run Ahead of Schedule

Bleak Expectations, a popular comedy in the West End, will be wrapping up its run earlier than initially planned, according to an announcement. The show, which received high praise from WhatsOnStage when it premiered at the Criterion Theatre, will now conclude on August 13, 2023, instead of the originally scheduled September 3.

Throughout the upcoming weeks, the show will continue to feature a rotating lineup of special guest stars, including Lee Mack, Stephen Mangan, Stephen Fry, and Jo Brand.

Caroline Leslie directed the stage adaptation of Mark Evans' beloved BBC Radio 4 series, which debuted at Newbury's Watermill Theatre last year. Bleak Expectations follows the extraordinary escapades of young Pip, alongside his sisters Pippa and Poppy, as well as his best friend Harry Biscuit. Together, they strive to evade the conniving clutches of the villainous Mr. Gently Benevolent, conquer the dreadful Hardthrasher siblings, and navigate through various misfortunes.

Katie Lias designed the production, with lighting by Andrew Exeter, sound by Ella Wahlström, and casting by Lucy Jenkins and Sooki McShane. The cast includes Ashh Blackwood, Shane David-Joseph, J J Henry, John Hopkins, Dom Hodson, Serena Manteghi, Marc Pickering, and Rachel Summers.