The Unexpected Man - Theatre Royal

On board a train travelling between Paris and Frankfurt two strangers sit opposite each other. Paul Parsky is a successful but cynical writer and Martha is an attractive widow who happens to be a passionate admirer of his work and recognises the author of the novel in her handbag.

Paul Parsky (played by Peter Bowles) is travelling to see his daughter who is marrying an older man with an unpleasant voice, a prospect Paul is not looking forward to. Martha (played by Sin Phillips) is not sure about the etiquette of reading a book written by a famous author whilst he is sitting opposite her. They are strangers who have a fleeting moment to connect. But will they have the courage to seize the moment?

Alive with dramatic tension and sexual anticipation, this captivating piece is about the relationships between fellow travellers, between authors and their readers, friends and lovers, men and women.

Peter Bowles is one of Britain's most distinguished actors, having achieved national recognition for a string of television roles including To The Manor Born, The Bounder, Perfect Scoundrels, The Irish RM and Only When I Laugh. He has recently performed to great acclaim in Simon Gray's The Old Masters in the West End and his many appearances at the Theatre Royal Bath include, most recently, Our Song in May 2003.

Sin Phillips is most well-known for her role as Livia in the classic BBC series I, Claudius and for her role as the Reverend Mother in the cult film Dune. She became a TV actress in her late teens and also appeared frequently on stage receiving critical acclaim for her performances in Saint Joan, The Taming Of The Shrew, and The Duchess of Malfi. Her many film roles include Beckett, Goodbye Mr Chips, Murphy's War and Under Milk Wood.

In the 1980s she began a new phase in her career starring in musicals, her esteemed credits include Pal Joey, Gigi and A Little Night Music, which led to her acclaimed one-woman cabaret show Marlene, a tribute to the legendary Marlene Dietrich.