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CELL MATES 
Cell Mates takes as its central characters the spy George Blake and the Irish petty criminal, Sean Bourke, who sprang Blake from Wormwood Scrubs prison. It tracks their relationship from their first meeting in prison to their hide-out in London, and on to the flat they shared in Moscow. Although the play is concerned with ambition and betrayal, it also deals with the equally murky issues of mutual dependence, self-imprisonment, and the couple’s desperate struggle for inner, as well as outer, freedom. 
| | PRODUCTION HISTORY | | Cell Mates was first presented at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford, on 17th January 1995 and transferred to the Albery Theatre, Londonon 16th February 1995. The cast, in order of appearance, was as follows: | | | SEAN BOURKE – Rik Mayall | | GEORGE BLAKE – Stephen Fry | | PHILIP/VICTOR – Paul Mooney | | MIRANDA/ZINAIDA – Carole Nimmons | | SPARROW/STAN – Sam Dastor | | | Director: Simon Gray | | Set Designer: Eileen Diss | | Lighting Designer: Mick Hughes | | | | (The role of George Blake was subsequently played by Simon Ward) |
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REVIEWS “…a marvellous Fry and his equally impressive co-star Rik Mayall come of age as actors in Simon Gray’s witty, touching and thoroughly humane new play about the unlikely friendship between an odd couple of jail birds who meet over a mutual interest in the Wormwood Scrubsmagazine.” Maureen Paton in The Daily Express, February 17th 1995 | | “Cell Mates, Simon Gray’s fine new play, often seems to take on the features of a joke: “Have you heard the one about the Irishman, the Russian, and the half-Dutch, half-Egyptian with a British passport?” Except that with a real-life spy, George Blake at its centre, this is a joke with a thought-provoking sting… Full of deftly witty and revealing touches, Cell Mates chooses to wear its intelligence so lightly that it risks being underrated.” Paul Taylor, The Independent, February 20th, 1995 |
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“What Simon Gray explores and Stephen Fry delivers so splendidly is that impenetrable mask of deception of a man incapable of basic honesty – even for something he desperately needs… Rik Mayall’s performance in this nerve-edged role is a revelation. He combines the easy, instant charm of the Irish with a weasel intelligence almost a match for Fry’s buttoned-up mental agility.” Jack Tinker, Daily Mail, February 17th 1995 “Simon Ward has performed a notable feat in taking over Stephen Fry’s part in Cell Mates at the Albery at a few days’ notice (all the more so since it involved memorising quite a few lines in Russian); but the strain doesn’t show. Ward’s initially amiable, progressively damning portrayal of the spy, George Blake, sharpens the impact of Simon Gray’s play. He also interacts beautifully with Rik Mayall, who continues to give an outstanding performance as Blake’s fellow escapee, Sean Bourke.” John Gross in The Sunday Telegraph March 12th 1995
DESIGN FOR THE ORIGINAL PRODUCTION BY EILEEN DISS: 
| | | | PUBLISHING INFORMATION | | Cell Mates is now available as a Faber Contemporary Classic in Simon Gray: Plays 5. To order a copy on special offer at 25% discount please contact Faber and insert code GRAYPLAYS . | | Cell Mates is also published in the following edtition: | | Cell Mates (Faber and Faber 1995 ISBN 0-571-17402-7) | | | | | | |
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DIARIES
Simon Gray's diary following the first production of Cell Mates, Fat Chance, was published in 1995. Fat Chance is published in the following editions: Fat Chance (Faber and Faber 1995 ISBN 0-571-17792-1) Fat Chance (Granta Books 2005 ISBN 1-86207-746-0)
LICENSING INFORMATION For UK and Worldwide professional rights please contact Judy Daish Associates at rozzy@judydaish.com. For amateur rights please contact licensing@judydaish.com.
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| NEWS & EVENTS |
Quartermaine's Terms opens in Stockholm
The Swedish production, Frammande sprak, opened on 20th April at the Royal Dramatic Theatre. |
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Congratulations to Clare Duffy!
For winning this year's Simon Gray award at the Bush Theatre, London, for her play 'Money: The Game Show' |
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Quartermaine's Terms to be published in new single edition
Faber and Faber will publish the new edition to coincide with the new West End production starring Rowan Atkinson |
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Congratulations to Tom Wells!
For being shortlisted for the Charles Wintour Award for Most Promising Playwright |
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Further cast announced for Quartermaine's Terms in the West End in January 2013
Rowan Atkinson will be joined by Conleth Hill, Will Keen, Felicity Montagu and Malcolm Sinclair |
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Simon Ward
The Simon Gray website mourns the actor, a dear friend and collaborator, who died on 12th July 2012. |
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Rowan Atkinson to star in Quartermaine's Terms in the West End in January 2013!
The legendary comic actor will take on the lead role in Simon Gray's classic play at the Wyndham's Theatre, directed by Richard Eyre. |
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The Common Pursuit in New York: an interview with the director
Moises Kaufman talks about the production at the Roundabout Theatre, plus photos of the cast |
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Otherwise Engaged: new production on Radio 4
James Purefoy will lead the cast in Simon Gray's classic comedy, to be broadcast on 24th March at 2:30pm. |
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Simon Callow's new website!
A new website devoted to the wonderful actor, writer and director has now been launched. |
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FABER NEW EDITIONS - SPECIAL OFFER
Get 25% off The Early Diaries (RRP 14.99) and each individual volume of Simon Gray: PLAYS 1-5 (RRP 16.99) including free P&P. |
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Critical Quarterly: Simon Gray special edition
An issue of the literary magazine dedicated to Simon Gray's work, edited by Colin MacCabe, came out in April 2010. |
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THE SMOKING DIARIES AUDIO BOOKS SPECIAL OFFER
Buy the audio books of all three volumes of The Smoking Diaries and Coda, all read by the author, for GBP40 or get 20% off each individual CD volume. |
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