CityLife

MIF: Vegas' hot property

SO, would you buy a house from this man? One of the most closely guarded secrets of the Manchester International Festival is what will happen when just you and a dozen or so intrepid souls wind up at an undisclosed location to see Interiors (where you pick your tickets up is yet to be disclosed, which might cause problems!).

When you reach your destinattion you'll find star Johnny Vegas (pictured) has been transformed into one Jeffrey Parkin. He's selling his house in order to pursue new property development opportunities in Montenegro and you'll be shown around his home - asking price £235,000. But it's certain there will be some surprises in store during the show, written by Jerry Springer - The Opera co-creator Stewart Lee, who'll also be contributing to this weekend's Perverted By Language event, celebrating The Fall.

When he previewed the show at the launch of the festival, Vegas, whose real name is Michael Pennington and who was lauded for his 'straight' acting at the Edinburgh Festival, admitted that he never went to the theatre when he was younger.

"I think what Stewart and I are trying to do with this show is to take theatre away from theatres," he says.

Mind you, he also said that he was feeling "so much out of me depth that part of me just wants to sing a Neil Diamond song!"

Amazed

He didn't, but he and Lee have amazed even some hardened theatre professionals with their commitment to this unique project.

"I was very apprehensive when Alex Poots asked me to take part in this festival. But then I heard rumours that one of the events was an opera involving a monkey and I thought maybe there is a place for me here!

"The way Alex put it to me when he asked me if I was interested in being commissioned to do something was 'have you got something in mind that wouldn't get made otherwise?' That seemed to me like a really intriguing idea for a festival!"

Interiors previews from tonight (June 29) and opens at a secret location on Tuesday, July 4 until Sunday, July 15.