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The Painkiller

The Painkiller Tickets

4.5/5 - based on 30 reviews
from 30 verified reviews
  • Starring: Rob Brydon, Kenneth Branagh
  • Tickets refunded if your event is cancelled
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The Painkiller in London

Starring:

Rob Brydon, Kenneth Branagh

The Painkiller – Sean Foley's hugely popular comedy

Do you like nothing better than a top class, unforgettable comic tour-de-force? If so you'll love this remarkable play, on stage at the Garrick theatre between 5th March and 30th April 2016 and part of a season of five produced by the brand new, seriously exciting Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company.

Rob Bryden and Kenneth Branagh starred in the original. Now they're back, stars of the show again, this time at the magnificent Garrick theatre.

We don't want to ruin the plot for you. Suffice to say it's a giggle a minute and you might even find yourself crying with laughter. Some scenes are simply side-splitting. The scene with the policeman shut in a wardrobe might be the final straw for your sanity. And the uber-camp hotel porter has audiences in stitches. Plus there's lots of brilliantly amusing physical comedy, particularly from Branagh.

Rob Bryden's poignant character is equally compelling, managing to come across as both pathetic and moving. And that's where the play's genius lies. This isn't just a straightforward farce. It warms your heart too, unexpected and enjoyable. The laughs keep on coming but you find yourself feeling nicely sad. Which is what great theatre is all about.

The Painkiller – the story

Two men languish in a couple of seedy hotel rooms next to one another, with an adjoining door separating them. Opposite there's a courthouse. One of the men is determined to die, the other is a killer. It's a match made in comedy heaven.

Rob Brydon plays the suicidally depressed Welsh local press photographer whose wife has left him. Branagh plays the murderer, a sharp suited, eagle eyed, merciless type who's in town to kill a court case witness.

As the plot thickens things get more and more weird, and we find the men in increasingly compromising situations. The resulting comedy is extremely dark, occasionally disturbing, sharp and brutal yet absolutely hilarious. If you're a big fan of quality farce, you really don't want to miss this one. If you love being reduced to a state of helpless mirth, buy your tickets now.

The Painkiller – Branagh Season at the Garrick

Want premium, full price or discount The Painkiller tickets? We offer excellent availability and value for money on the full range of tickets and seats. Click here and grab a brilliant bargain backed by excellent service.

The Painkiller Official Theatre Tickets

Our central reservation system connects you directly to the Garrick Theatre box office system. We provide live & full availability for The Painkiller tickets, from VIP and premium, to top price and discount tickets, helping you choose the perfect tickets for your budget. Pick your seats from our interactive seating plan and get your theatre tickets emailed to you instantly after your booking. Simply present your e-tickets at the door on the day and experience what London & the West End have best to offer: the magic of theatre. Buying tickets for The Painkiller has never been easier.

The Painkiller Ticket Information

  • Booking until:

    Saturday, 30 April 2016

  • Important Information

    Ticket purchases will be limited to a maxium of six tickets per person across all performances. Tickets will be dispatched 2 weeks prior to the performance.

    Audio Described Performance - Tuesday 29 March 2016 7.30pm 

    Captioned Performance - Tuesday 22 March 2016 7.30pm 

  • Cancellations & Refunds

    Once booked, tickets to The Painkiller are usually non exchangeable and non refundable as per our terms & conditions. In practice, however, we will do our best to accommodate your request as long as we are notified at least 48 hours before the performance. Please contact us for more information.

The Painkiller cheap tickets

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The Painkiller reviews

4.5 out of 5 based on 30 reviews

What to expect:

Acting
Music
Costumes
Story
Lighting
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Latest customer reviews

Please note the reviews below are from an old production of The Painkiller.

A true farce with immaculate timing. Very funny

Reviewed on 02 May 2016 by , Milford, United Kingdom

Laugh out loud!

Excellent farce. Perfect timing and escalating non-stop hilarity. Before the show we had a pleasant glass of wine on the balcony overlooking the entrance.

Reviewed on 02 May 2016 by , Cardiff, United Kingdom

lots of fun and laughs

Reviewed on 29 April 2016 by , Gilberton, Australia

Amazing comic timing

What a funny show! Who knew that Kenneth Brannagh was a master of comic timing? Such a laugh-out-loud experience. We got seats marked as restricted view, but this didn't stop the enjoyment. A master class in acting from Brannagh, with comedic notes from Rob Brydon. 90 minutes straight run through made sense - you wouldn't want to interrupt the flow of this show. A simple stage set, but worked with the script beautifully. I'd recommend this (beware of the swearing if you're sensitive) as a great demonstration of acting at its finest.

Reviewed on 28 April 2016 by , Downham Market, United Kingdom

Very humorous, timing impeccable, thouroughly enjoyable play

Reviewed on 28 April 2016 by , London, United Kingdom

to good miss

Reviewed on 28 April 2016 by , Rochester, United Kingdom

A lighthearted romp

Very Brian Rix, Rob Bryden is his usual Uncle Bryn but Branagh is a good comedy actor. All quite predictable but jolly just the same.

Reviewed on 14 April 2016 by , Chelmsford, United Kingdom

Brilliant!

Great acting, such physical comedy -- a must see

Reviewed on 13 April 2016 by , Alton, United Kingdom

Sir Kenneth Branagh was fantastic!

Reviewed on 13 April 2016 by , Eastleigh, United Kingdom

Great Physical Comedy

Reviewed on 12 April 2016 by , Oklahoma City, United States

Fantastic Farce!

Reviewed on 10 April 2016 by , Colchester, United Kingdom

Absolutely loved it - hilarious

Reviewed on 08 April 2016 by , Gelorup, Australia

Relevant

Very funny rob Brydon true to form. Kenneth Branagh can do comedy. Laughed from start to finish. Wish I had better seats. A wee one off gem

Reviewed on 08 April 2016 by , Paisley, United Kingdom

Hilarious!

Branagh and Brydon are a great comedy duo.

Reviewed on 08 April 2016 by , Haslemere, United Kingdom

Painkiller or Painful?

If you like a farce this is for you, otherwise perhaps not.

Reviewed on 07 April 2016 by , Basingstoke, United Kingdom

Top Quality!!

Had no idea about the content but was enthralled throughout. The timing was amazing!!! Brilliantly delivered by all the cast. Would highly recommend. So glad we were able to get seats in the dress circle.

Reviewed on 03 April 2016 by , Berkeley, United Kingdom

Great farce

e had a wonderful time. Rob Brydon does what he does best and to see Kenneth Branagh in a show of this style was a revelation. He does farce superbly. The rest of the cast were excellent and the timing was perfect. All, in all, great fun.

Reviewed on 31 March 2016 by , Aylesford, United Kingdom

come out of theatre chuckling

Cried with laughter. Superb acting and timing was impeccable .

Reviewed on 24 March 2016 by , Horley, United Kingdom

hilarious.

Can't remember the last time I laughed that much.

Reviewed on 20 March 2016 by , Deal, United Kingdom

Brituah farce

Although moments were hilarious, in general it was annoying

Reviewed on 16 March 2016 by , Bellport, United States

Need a painkiller after watching it!

Reviewed on 11 March 2016 by , Barnet, United Kingdom

A real hoot.

Reviewed on 10 March 2016 by , Market Harborough, United Kingdom

Great story zbd very funny

It was a very humorous story with lots of very funny one liners and great acting by the entire cast. We had great seats (row K) but as it is a fairly intimate theatre setting I could well imagine most seats provide a good view of the stage. We attended the mattinee performance and it certainly brightened our day. Would thoroughly recommend this show to anyone who loves a show containing clever and witty dialogue. Absolutely loved urgent from start to finish.

Reviewed on 10 March 2016 by , Turner Act, Australia

Colorful. Great comedy.

Reviewed on 08 March 2016 by , London, United Kingdom

18 Mar
2016
Phil Willmott

Review: THE PAINKILLER at the Garrick Theatre

by Phil Willmott | Friday, March 18 2016, 09:41

The Painkiller - Kenneth Branagh Kenneth Branagh is certainly giving us a range of productions as part of his year long residency at the Garrick Theatre. We've had Shakespeare, Rattigan, new writing and now a farce.

How good a time you'll have at this latest offering, THE PAINKILLER, will depend on your sense of humour.

Review: THE PAINKILLER at the Garrick Theatre