The 2026 Barn Theatre season kicks off with the world premiere stage adaptation of Men Behaving Badly: The Play

Hot off the heels of the stage production Fawlty Towers The Play comes another new show, based on an iconic TV comedy series from the past.

Written by Simon Nye, Men Behaving Badly’s original writer, and directed by Joseph O’Malley, Men Behaving Badly: The Play will play at the Barn from Friday 30 January until Saturday 7 March 2026, with a national press night on Tuesday 3 February.

Four old friends and a wedding in the morning – what could possibly go wrong?

London, 31st December, 1999. Gary’s clinging to his youth, Dorothy’s had enough, Deborah’s got a plan, and Tony’s…still Tony. The world is bracing for Y2K as our favourite foursome prepare for their own Big Day, but when resolutions clash with revelations, the gang might just prove that the real millennium bug… is them.

Expect pints, fireworks, and a complete lack of adult supervision as we return to the flatmates where the TV series left off.

The team behind Men Behaving Badly: The Play

The creative team for Men Behaving Badly: The Play includes set and costume designer Alfie Heywood, associate costume designer Denise Cleal, sound designer Amanda Priestley, and Marc Frankum as casting director. Men Behaving Badly is performed by arrangement with Knight Hall Agency Ltd.

Director Joseph O’Malley said, “I’m delighted to be joining Simon Nye in bringing one of Britain’s best loved comedies to the stage for the first time. The misadventures of Gary, Tony, Dorothy and Deborah have always held a special place in my heart, and I can’t wait to bring these much-loved characters to a 2026 audience. To me this show is a celebration of friendship, of the 90s and of the healing power of sitting on a sofa with people you love and talking absolute rubbish. Less doomscrolling and social media anxiety, more real human interaction and, of course, bad behaviour!”