''The Life I Lead'' is a one-man comedy play by James Kettle about the life of English actor

David Tomlinson David Cecil MacAlister Tomlinson (7 May 1917 – 24 June 2000) was an English stage, film, and television actor and comedian. Having been described as both a leading man and a character actor, he is primarily remembered for his roles as authorit ...

Background

Tomlinson was best known for his role as Mr. Banks in the 1964 Disney film ''

Mary Poppins It may refer to: * ''Mary Poppins'' (book series), the original 1934–1988 children's fantasy novels that introduced the character. * Mary Poppins (character), the nanny with magical powers. * ''Mary Poppins'' (film), a 1964 Disney film sta ...

'' (in which Tomlinson famously sings the Sherman Brothers song, "

The Life I Lead "The Life I Lead" is a song from the 1964 Walt Disney film '' Mary Poppins'', composed by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman. Music arranger Irwin Kostal used the theme from this song as the leitmotif of George Banks, as it most expresses the ...

" and to which the title of this show refers). Tomlinson was also known for playing Professor Emelius Browne in ''

Bedknobs and Broomsticks ''Bedknobs and Broomsticks'' is a 1971 American live-action animated musical fantasy film directed by Robert Stevenson and produced by Bill Walsh for Walt Disney Productions. It is loosely based upon the books '' The Magic Bedknob; or, How t ...

'' (1971) and Peter Thorndyke in ''

The Love Bug ''The Love Bug'' is a 1968 American comedy film directed by Robert Stevenson and the first in a franchise by Walt Disney Productions and distributed by Buena Vista Distribution that starred an anthropomorphic pearl-white, fabric-sunroofed 19 ...

'' (1968).

Production history

2019 UK tour and West End

The play premiered at the

Northcott Theatre The Northcott Theatre is a theatre situated on the Streatham Campus of the University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, England. It opened in 1967 and was run until 2010 by the Northcott Theatre Foundation, when the company ceased operating after a p ...

in Exeter on 6 February 2019, prior to touring the UK until April 2019, which included a run at the Park Theatre, London. Comedian and actor

Miles Jupp Miles Hugh Barrett Jupp (born 8 September 1979) is an English actor, singer, and comedian. He began his career as a stand-up comedian before playing the role of the inventor Archie in the children's television series ''Balamory''. He also played ...

starred as Tomlinson and was directed by

Selina Cadell Selina Jane Cadell (born 12 August 1953) is an English actress. She is the younger sister of actor Simon Cadell and granddaughter of actress Jean Cadell. She is the great niece of the Scottish artist Francis Cadell. Biography Cadell was born ...

and Didi Hopkins with set and costume design by Lee Newby. The play transferred into London's West End for 8 performances only starring Jupp from 16 to 21 September 2019 at

Wyndham's Theatre Wyndham's Theatre is a West End theatre, one of two opened by actor/manager Charles Wyndham (the other is the Criterion Theatre). Located on Charing Cross Road in the City of Westminster, it was designed c.1898 by W. G. R. Sprague, the archit ...

Critical reception

The play opened to critical acclaim, particularly praising Jupp on his performance.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Life I Lead Play 2019 plays Comedy plays Plays about World War II Plays based on actual events West End plays Plays for one performer