Rowan Atkinson brings back 'Blackadder' and 'Mr Bean' after 40 years in surprise stage return

Highlights

• Rowan Atkinson is returning to the West End for the first time in 40 years
• The comedian will revive some of his best-known characters, including Blackadder and Mr Bean
• His new show, Rowan Live, will feature classic sketches alongside new material
• Atkinson is reuniting with Blackadder co-writers Richard Curtis and Ben Elton
• The show will run for 30 performances in London in 2027

Rowan Atkinson is bringing back two of his most recognisable comedy characters as he prepares to return to the West End for the first time in four decades.

The 71-year-old comedian will star in Rowan Live, a new stage show that will see him revisit some of the sketches and characters that made him a household name, including Blackadder and Mr Bean.

The limited run will take place at London's Gillian Lynne Theatre from 8 February to 13 March 2027, with just 30 performances scheduled.

Why is Rowan Atkinson bringing back Blackadder and Mr Bean?

Atkinson said it had been 40 years since he last performed a comedy sketch show in the West End.

He explained that he wanted to return to the sketches that marked the beginning of his career with writer Richard Curtis, while also bringing back some of his most famous characters.

The show will not be purely a nostalgia trip. Atkinson has also promised new material written specifically for the production, giving audiences a chance to see familiar characters alongside something they have not seen before.

A teaser video released ahead of the announcement showed Atkinson looking through some of his old costumes before revealing his plans for the West End.

Among the characters featured were the hapless Edmund Blackadder, Mr Bean and Gerald the Gorilla from Not the Nine O'Clock News.

Rowan Atkinson reunites with Blackadder collaborators

Atkinson will be joined by Blackadder co-writers Richard Curtis and Ben Elton for the new production, with composer Howard Goodall also involved.

The trio have a long history together, having worked on the hugely successful Blackadder sitcom, which ran across four series between 1983 and 1989.

Atkinson first began working with Curtis and Goodall after meeting them at Oxford University, where they regularly wrote and performed comedy sketches.

He later made his television debut on Not the Nine O'Clock News in 1979 alongside Pamela Stephenson, Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones.

When will Blackadder and Mr Bean return?

Rowan Live will run at the Gillian Lynne Theatre in London from 8 February until 13 March 2027.

It will mark the first time Atkinson has performed as Blackadder on stage since a live theatre sketch in 2012.

Mr Bean, meanwhile, last appeared in a live-action role when Atkinson made a cameo as the character in the 2017 Chinese comedy Top Funny Comedian: The Movie.

Atkinson originally played Mr Bean in the ITV sitcom during the 1990s, with the character later appearing in two feature films, an animated series and the 2012 London Olympics opening ceremony.

His return to the West End will therefore bring together some of the characters that have defined his career, while giving Atkinson the chance to introduce new material after four decades away from the stage.