...in a new play from a real diplomat, and the co-creator of Mock The Week

Clive Anderson is to play an international peace negotiator in a new comedy written by the co-creator of Mock The Week and a former ambassador.

The play, Winner's Curse, is to premiere at London’s Park Theatre next year and revolves around high-stakes talks about a highly contested strip of land.

One of the writers, Daniel Taub, is a former Middle East peace negotiator, who has represented Israel in talks with bot the Syrian and Palestinian authorities.

He has served Israel’s ambassador to the UK and  legal adviser to the country’s missions to the United Nations.

Taub created the play – which also involves some audience interaction – with Dan Patterson, who created Mock The Week and Whose Line is it Anyway  with Mark Leveson.

Patterson previously worked with Anderson on his Channel 4 and BBC One talk shows – while in the theatre he co-wrote the 2013 satirical farce The Duck House, based on the MPs’ expenses scandal.

The official description of Winner’s Curse says: ‘Over the negotiating table, cynical diplomats, idealistic peacemakers and meddling mediators try to navigate a perilous path to agreement as the threat of continued conflict looms ever larger.’

Its title comes from a term meaning that the winning bid in an auction will always exceed an item's true worth

The production runs from February 8 to March 11 and is being directed by Park’s artistic director Jez Bond. Tickets go on  general sale at 10am tomorrow.

Published: 3 Nov 2022