It's 1773 at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. The crowd is getting restless. The leading man's unconscious but the show must go on.

This irreverent version of real-life events tells the story of David Garrick, Dr Johnson, Oliver Goldsmith and a new play called She Stoops to Conquer. Caught between financial pressures and artistic ambition, Garrick must decide if he can risk staging a play that could make or break his career.

A Laughing Matter was produced by Out of Joint and the National Theatre, London. Following its premiere at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford, in October 2002, it transferred to the National in November and returned in February 2003.