FAMILIAR FACE PLAYS COLUMBO AT THE KEY

Dirk Benedict, better known as ‘Face’ from the A-Team and most recently for his stint in Celebrity Big Brother, will be drawing crowds at the Key Theatre where he’ll be playing the legendary Lieutenant Columbo. Pep Cipriano caught up with the man now wearing the famous raincoat…

Dirk Benedict is best remembered for playing smooth-talking Templeton ‘Faceman’  Peck in 80s hit TV series The A-Team. ‘Face’ had a way with words and had an eye for the ladies. His charm and dress sense were crucial to the character – sporting messy hair and a trench coat was definately off limits.

But that was then. Today Dirk may be a few years older but his unmistakable charm and smoothness has made the transformation from screen to stage to play another memorable character from years gone by in the form of the one and only Lieutenant Columbo.

Dirk has donned the famous crumpled raincoat to play Columbo in what was the detective’s first-ever outing. In Prescription: Murder we see the genius of the character made famous by Peter Falk as he pits his wits against a master criminal.

And for an actor who claims never to have seen the TV show, Dirk has been delighting audiences across the country with his uncanny performance of one of the world’s best loved detectives.

“The reaction I’ve been getting from Columbo fans who’ve come to watch the performance has been great. Lots of people have commented how I’ve managed to mimic some of Columbo’s characteristics just as Peter Falk played them. This is quite a coincidence, as I’ve never watched the TV show or spoken to Peter Falk about his character,” Dirk told ESP.

Playing Columbo as well as Dirk has been doing is testament to his acting ability and also to a history of more than three decades in stage productions.

He continued: “I’ve been doing theatre for over 30 years and jumped at the chance of playing Columbo after reading the script, which I loved. Being a major part of a stage play as good as this one, particularly in England, is always a joy. TV is boring, I’ve been there and done that. So many actors move from one show to another and I really don’t see the point. I prefer to wait for the best opportunities, I’m a great bum so it has to take a good part like this one for me to get excited.”

Dirk, also remembered by older audience members as Lieutenant Starbuck in Battlestar Galactica, is joined at the Key by acclaimed British actor Patrick Ryecart and Brookside’s Karen Drury.

Prescription: Murder was penned by Richard Levinson and William Link. They became one of the most notable writing and producing teams in the history of US television. As well as their success with Columbo, the duo went on to write the hugely popular Murder She Wrote series staring Angela Lansbury.

The plot of Prescription: Murder revolves around psychiatrist Roy Fleming, who’s celebrating his wedding anniversary when he’s called away to deal with a female patient.

On returning he has to soothe his angry wife with the promise of a trip to Acapulco. Fleming’s wife is soon found dead, and Columbo is brought in to investigate. It isn’t long before the seeds of doubt are planted in his mind…

The case was originally a stage play before becoming the pilot episode for the television series. Visit www.columbo-prescription-murder.com for more information.

Nightly (7.30pm) performances at the Key Theatre are from Monday April 19 to Saturday April 24. Matinees are Thursday and Saturday at 2.30pm.

Prices are: Monday: £17 (£15 concessions). Tuesday – Thursday evenings: £18 (£16 concessions). Thursday matinee: £15 (£13 concessions). Friday: All seats £19. Saturday matinee: £16 (£14 concessions). Saturday evening: All seats £20.

KEY I.P discount: £2.50 off full price tickets – Monday to Thursday evenings and both matinees.

Call the Box Office on: 01733 207239.  A £1 booking fee applies to all cheque and card transactions.