LipService Theatre Company

“The Laurel and Hardy of literary deconstruction” - The Guardian

Maggie Fox and Sue Ryding met as Drama students at Bristol University in a very serious Ibsen production which had the audience on the floor laughing. A tragedy for Ibsen but the launch of a very long comedy partnership. Maggie and Sue formed LipService in 1985 and have produced 20 original comedies for the stage, had series on Radios 2 and 4, plus TV appearances. They tour nationally in the UK but have also toured to Pakistan, USA, Eastern Europe and Germany. They have won many awards.

  • Manchester Theatre Award Stage Door Award for Excellence 2013
  • Manchester Evening News Award Withering Looks.
  • Critics Award for Comedy Withering Looks at the Edinburgh Festival
  • Critics Award for Comedy Knit One Murder One at the Edinburgh Festival

“in terms of comic inventiveness they are an unstoppable force" - Time Out

Horror for Wimps

Inspector Norse

Past shows include...

The Picture of Doreen Gray

“British comedy gold at its best”  - The Public Review

Inspector Norse

“the sight of two moose weeping while watching Bambi will stay with me for a long time” - East Anglian Daily Times

Desperate to be Doris

It's fair to say you haven't lived until you've witnessed Secret Love belted out by a game bunch of volunteers dressed as daffodils” - The Guardian

Withering Looks

“It’s a joy…very, very funny” - The Guardian

Very Little Women

“Pant wettingly funny”  - The Guardian

Also Jane Bond, Horror for Wimps, Very Little Women, Move Over Moriarty, Women on the Verger, King Arthur & the Knights of the Occasional Table, B-Road Movie!, Margaret III Parts Two and Three, Knit One Murder One.

Many of our shows have been co-productions. Past collaborators include Oldham Coliseum, The Lowry, The Brindley, York Theatre Royal, The New Vic, Greenwich Theatre, Watford Palace, Barclays Stage Partners.

Gallery of Previous Shows