National Theatre of Brent
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The National Theatre of Brent is a British comedy double-act, in the form of a mock two-man theatre troupe. Patrick Barlow plays Desmond Olivier Dingle, the troupe's founder, Artistic Director and Chief Executive. The role of his assistant (or as Desmond likes to call him, "my entire company") has been taken by different actors over the years, including Jim Broadbent (as Wallace), Robert Austin (as Bernard), and John Ramm (as Raymond Box). Their 1998 production Love Upon the Throne (featuring Barlow as Prince Charles and Ramm as Diana, Princess of Wales) was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Best Comedy. Barlow has written two books in the character of Desmond Olivier Dingle, Shakespeare: The Truth! and All the World's a Globe: From Lemur to Cosmonaut, both of which have been adapted for radio. Their latest radio production, in 2007, was The Arts and How They Was Done, starring Barlow and Ramm, with Harriet Walter as guest star.
