The Unfriend by Steven Moffat 9–14 February 2026 Cast Peter - Mark Plastow Debbie - Esther Riggs Elsa - Julie-Ann Randell Neighbour - Phil Reynolds Alex - Adam Turner Rosie - Alais McCluskey PC Junkin - Mark Oram Director - Vanessa Comer Assistant to Director - Connor Bailey Production Manager - Corrina Jacob Designer - John Ellam Wardrobe - Saira Roper Lighting - Katy Hawke Sound - Colin Thomas Props - Laurie Weston Visual effects - Chris Williams Prompt - Vicky Whitehill Photos by Robert Warner Click on a thumbnail to commence overlay sequence on current page. After an image has enlarged, you can move between images by using right/left arrows. Director's Notes A cross between a farce and a sitcom, The Unfriend immerses us in an excruciatingly funny modern comedy of manners, brilliantly satirising the British middle-class obsession with politeness and the fear of causing offence. Stephen Moffat’s theatrical debut, originally starring Reece Shearsmith, premiered in Chichester in 2022 to immediate acclaim, before transferring to London’s West End with Lee Mack for a long, sell-out run. At the heart of the play are Peter and Debbie Lindel, an anxious, middle-class suburban couple who meet the formidable American battleaxe, Elsa, during a month-long cruise. Crippled by their need to appear polite, they reluctantly exchange contact details with their new-found ‘friend’. Back home, a constant stream of emails soon reveals darker truths about Elsa’s past — but still they cannot bring themselves to ‘unfriend’ her. When she unexpectedly turns up on their doorstep, the entire family is plunged into a series of laugh-out-loud situations as they desperately try to avoid embarrassment while protecting everything they hold dear. It has been an absolute joy to work on this production, and I am just over-the-moon to be directing such a warm, committed and talented company. We hope you enjoy an evening of warmth, fun and big laughs to brighten the dark winter months — you won’t regret it! Vanessa Comer