Philip Larkin - Masterspy touring the UK in September and October 2025!

 Philip Larkin (Daniel Thackeray) and Margaret Thatcher (Carly Tarett).
Photography by Laura Kelly and graphic design by Colin Brockhurst

I'm thrilled to finally announced the 2025 tour of our new production, Philip Larkin: Masterspy, a comedy by Mark Griffiths.

I directed the original production of this new piece in January for our friends at Room 5064 Productions, for whom I have directed other shows, including Mark's play We Apologise for the Inconvenience (2018-20) and Sitcom Stories (2019). Masterspy, a hilarous 1980s-set farce thriller featuring several real cultural icons of the period, went down very well with audiences in Manchester, and so Room 5064 gave us at Hat Hair Productions their blessing to take the piece on tour. The original cast, Daniel Thackeray and Carly Tarett, will be returning to their roles.

Here's the trailer and a summary of the show:

1985.  Tasked by British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher with carrying out an audacious piece of international espionage that could alter the course of the Cold War, renowned poet Philip Larkin must steal a top secret document from the handbag of Soviet premier Mikhail Gorbachev's wife, Raisa. But can the Hermit of Hull – ageing, infirm and almost pathologically grumpy – really turn James Bond and complete his dangerous mission?

The tour begins with a performance at the University of Hull, Larkin's place of work for many decades, and ends back at the production's spiritual home, the Seven Oaks in Manchester. The full tour dates are as follows:

Friday 19th September, 7pm - University of Hull

Saturday 20th September, 4pm - Billington's, Oldham

Thursday 25th September, 7.30pm - The Continental, Preston

Tuesday 30th September, 7.30pm - VideOdyssey, Liverpool

Saturday 4th October, 8.30pm - The Space, Isle of Dogs, London

Wednesday 15th - Friday 17th October, 7.30pm - The Seven Oaks, Manchester

Saturday 18th October, 2.30pm & 7.30pm - The Seven Oaks, Manchester

We also hope to offer a number of performances at community centres in the North West and these will be announced when confirmed.

Tickets for the events are not yet on sale, but watch this space; we'll be adding booking links as soon as they're available.