From The Scotsman - Thursday, 5th December 2002

London spot for festival hit

AN OPERA based on the life of the talk show host Jerry Springer will be among the first productions at the Royal National Theatre in London under its new boss.

The full production of Jerry Springer - The Opera will get its world première in April.

The creators of the show were inundated with offers to present it in the West End and around the world after it was shown at the Edinburgh Festival this summer when still a work in progress. But they were keen to allow the production to develop artistically and snapped up the chance to perform at the National’s Lyttelton Theatre.

Nicholas Hytner, the National’s director designate, saw an early version of the show and was keen to put it on. "It’s exactly the kind of work the National should be doing - bold, scabrous, funny and beautiful," he said.

Springer, known for chat subjects such as "Pregnant By A Transsexual" and "Here Come the Hookers", gave the show his seal of approval by going to see it in Edinburgh.

It was co-written by Stewart Lee, known for his comedy partnership Lee and Herring, who is making his directorial debut with it . Mr Hytner said: "I’ve followed the development of Jerry Springer - The Opera since I saw it in a workshop production 18 months ago at Battersea Arts Centre.

"I’m delighted to be working with Richard Thomas and Stewart Lee on their ground-breaking new opera," he added.