ACTORS from a popular children’s TV show will perform in a new play.

Mark Savage and Tony McPherson, who both starred in Phil Redmond’s BBC drama Grange Hill in the early 1980s, will perform in a new theatre production at Brighton Fringe Festival this spring.

The Parade, written by award-winning Australian playwright Hellie Turner, will have its world premier at the Latest Music Bar in Manchester Street, Brighton, on Friday, May 1, with additional performances on Friday, May 8, Saturday, May 9, and Monday, May 25.

Described as an “existential bit of fun”, the play is an absurdist piece of theatre about two companions – “the leader”, Smith, and “the follower”, Jones.

The actors communicate with word play, puns, song and dance.

Mark Savage, who also directed the play, said the two characters discover life is “not a solo endeavour” and instead it requires compromise, collaboration and mutual aid.

He said: “It’s a metaphorical allegory.

“Anyone who has seen or read Waiting For Godot will get the references to Beckett’s play.

“Smith insists that a grand parade is coming, but Jones starts to question what he is being told.

“When I read it I could personally see the parallels to Brexit straight away.

“Even though Smith and Jones are rather diverse characters, I think the message is that we have more in common than we have differences.

“For me it’s important to entertain and to challenge.

“The play asks questions – what is truth? What is real? It’s universal as it’s about humanity.”

Mark, who played the school bully “Gripper” Stebson in Grange Hill opposite his enemy Derek “Woody” Woods, played by Tony McPherson, said mature viewers will recognise the pair from watching the show in the early 1980s.

He added that he was “a bit alarmed” when in 2010 David Cameron said Gripper was one of his role models in life at an

event with writer Phil Redmond

to promote his “big society” initiative.

Mark said: “The subject matter at the time was all about racism.

“I was a bit alarmed when David Cameron said Gripper was his role model.

“One is an awful bully and the other was our Prime Minister.”

The Parade is produced by Mark’s theatre company, Savage

Theatre Co.

Established in 2017, the company received positive reviews for its production of Human Issue, which tackled male suicide.

To book tickets for The Parade, go to www.brightonfringe.org.