Ronald Harwood, Academy Award-winning playwright and screenwriter is the author of this intelligent and stimulating story about law, justice and revenge.

Cressida and Julian Field live comfortably in the Sussex countryside with their elderly Ukrainian odd-job man and friend of the family, Romka. He cooks, mends fences, trims hedges and grows vegetables. Cressida calls him her ‘life-saver’. Then suddenly two police officers from the War Crimes Squad arrive... What has Romka done? Is he guilty? Is there a time limit on punishment?

The Handyman looks at questions surrounding culpability, retribution, universal responsibility and the possibility of evil, in a story that holds and intrigues from start to finish.

Timothy West is one of the UK’s favourite stage and TV actors. His many stage credits include Ronald Harwood’s Quartet, Beecham, When We Are Married, The Old Country, The Winslow Boy, The Master Builder and King Lear at The Old Vic. On television, he was seen in Edward VII, Brass, A Very Peculiar Practice, Miss Marple, Bleak House, Lewis and Poirot. He has appeared in many films including Nicholas and Alexandra, The Day of the Jackal, Agatha, Cry Freedom and Iris. He was appointed a CBE in 1984 for his services to drama.

Ronald Harwood is one of the world’s leading dramatists. His many plays include The Dresser, Taking Sides, Quartet, Mahler’s Conversion, An English Tragedy and Collaboration. He has written the screenplay for many films including The Pianist (Academy Award), The Dresser (Academy Award nomination), The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Academy Award nomination), Being Julia, Oliver Twist and Taking Sides. He has written the screenplay for the forthcoming film version of Quartet, with Maggie Smith, Tom Courtenay, Billy Connolly, Pauline Collins and Michael Gambon, directed by Dustin Hoffman. He received a knighthood in 2010 for his services to theatre.

“Harwood’s best and finest play” THE SUNDAY TIMES

“An admirable and intelligent play” LONDON EVENING STANDARD

“A fine and important … play” DAILY MAIL

“Joe Harmston’s gripping production has a startling modernity…” THE TIMES on 2012 production of The Father

By Ronald Harwood

Directed by Joe Harmston

Starring Timothy West, Caroline Langrishe, Adrian Lukis, Carolyn Backhouse, James Simmons and Anthony Houghton

With video testimony by Vanessa Redgrave as Sister Sophia and Steven Berkoff as Nikita Fedorenko

This show is sponsored by Saxton Bampfylde.

The Handyman is produced by Guildford's Yvonne Arnaud Theatre and is touring this autumn. For more information, tour dates and booking details please click here.