A prime exemplar of British in-yer-face theatre and now a modern classic, Mark Ravenhill’s Shopping and F***ing returns to the stage with Olivier Award-winning director Sean Holmes.

Enlisting a mix of black humour and bleak philosophy, Ravenhill’s ever-controversial play follows three disconnected young adults whose lives have been reduced to a series of transactions in an emotionally shrink wrapped world.

A place where Shopping is sexy and F***ing is a job. Widely regarded as one of the most influential pieces of contemporary British theatre this rarely staged play is a must see. Twenty years since its explosive premiere, Holmes brings Ravenhill’s provocative first play back to the stage at Lyric Hammersmith.

Announcing the revival, Holmes – the theatre’s artistic director – said: “It’s a privilege and a delight to stage the 20th anniversary production of Mark Ravenhill’s prophetic play. What is the internet now if it isn’t shopping and fucking?”

Ravenhill added he was looking forward to “seeing what a new generation of theatre audiences make of the play”.

The Lyric’s main house will be transformed for this production with part of the audience seated on the stage, creating a bold intimate experience within our Victorian auditorium.

All stalls and onstage stalls seats will be £25.

This production will contain scenes of a graphic sexual nature. ……………………………………………………………………………………….

COMPETITION: Win 1x pair of tickets to attend Shopping and F***ing at Lyric Hammersmith at Lyric Hammersmith at 19:30, Saturday 8th October. To enter the competition, send an email to ava@run-riot.com with the correct answer in the ‘subject’ line. The winner will be randomly selected.

Q: In-yer-face theatre was a term coined by British theatre critic Aleks Sierz to describe a specific type of confrontational, shocking theatre favoured in the 1990s. Which of these playwrights’ work does not fall under that category?

A: .1) Noel Coward .2) Sarah Kane .3) Mark Ravenhill .4) Anthony Neilson