Theatre: Ages of the Moon, Vault Theatre in Waterloo

A play which explores friendships, old rivalries and whisky is heading to the Vaults Theatre in Waterloo in October.

Ages of the Moon sees two old friends brought together by mutual desperation to reflect on their 40-year friendship, which is put to the test at the barrel of a gun.

Joseph Marcell – best known for playing British butler Geoffrey in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air – and Christopher Fairbank – best known for his role as Moxey in the British TV series Auf Wiedersehen, Pet – will star as Byron and Ames in the UK premiere of Sam Shepard’s play.

Directed by Alexander Lass, playing from Thursday, October 17 until Sunday, November, 24 at the Vaults Theatre in Waterloo, with a press night on Wednesday, October 23.

Mr Lass said: “Byron and Ames provoke as much as they entertain.

“Two men in their mid-60s, suffering literal and metaphorical heartache, they crave to be heard and known.

“Through their rambling recollections, coarse observations and raunchy humour, we are taken on a journey where fact merges with fiction, beginning with youthful optimism and ending with mournful nostalgia.

“They philosophise about sex, marriage, betrayal, loneliness, death, country and western music, horse-racing, and astronomy.

“Byron and Ames amuse us with their homespun conversation, disturb us with their despair, all the while knocking back glass after glass of “the great malt which wounds”.

“The more they drink, the less we feel we can trust anything they say.

“I am drawn to the humanity, comedy, universality, and understated showmanship of Sam’s poetic words, and I am thrilled to be collaborating with Joe and Chris, two incredible actors who will bring Ames and Byron vividly to life.”