She's signed them both up. Her and her husband. For stand-up comedy. So tonight they're locking themselves in their living room until they've got a ‘tight five', delving through their past for material. But some jokes hurt and laughter isn't always the best medicine. With the clock ticking and nothing but a baby monitor for an audience, they wrestle with the spotlight as questions about their future are forced to the surface.

This production is a fascinating insight into one of the most iconic films in cinematic history, and the real-life drama surrounding the award-winning actors who brought it to the screen. The original film told the story of Norma Desmond - an egotistical faded star desperate to return to the millions of fans she had deserted - and the young, down-on-his-luck writer who sees an opportunity to exploit her. A story of ambition, delusion and Hollywood's brutal star system, it captivated audiences and earned its place in cinematic legend. But backstage, the drama was no less fraught - filled with unexpected twists: Why did Mae West turn down the leading role? How did Hollywood react to such a savage indictment of the star system, and the monsters it creates?

It's 2002: New Labour reigns, the Enron scandal intensifies, and she's still just Mrs Parker-Bowles. The retro-futuristic sheen of the Y2K cultural revolution is in full swing, pulsing to the iPod beat of Grime and Nu-Metal. But in a fog-bound house, the world recedes and a dinner is served.  Paige is celebrating the publication of her husband's self-help bestseller. Her menu is dramatic and deliberate, all served with the deeply attentive assistance of a vigilant waiter. The eclectic mix of guests – an artist, a scientist and a “news babe” – arrive as planned, until an unexpected stranger is disgorged from the darkness.  Knives and tongues sharpen as Aperitif pours into Starter, Starter smashes into Main, Main melts into Dessert. The fog closes in, secrets comes to the boil, questions bubble over: do you ever really know someone? Is the psychological apocalypse a cosmic wake up call? Can you really murder someone with pliers?  And most urgently… any dietary requirements?