WHEN The Permanent Way played at the National Theatre last year, sell-out audiences were moved to laughter and tears.

Now the critically-acclaimed production comes to Guildford's Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, prior to an international tour.

In 1991, before an election it did not expect to win, the Conservative Government made a fateful decision to privatise the railways.

Now, many years later, we subsidise the industry more lavishly than ever before.

David Hare's The Permanent Way tells the remarkable story of a dream gone sour. He and actors from Out Of Joint gathered together the first-hand accounts of those most intimately involved - from every level of the system.

Funny, tragic, compelling - their voices become an extraordinary parable of British mismanagement, which raises questions about the recent history of the country.

Directed by Max Stafford-Clark, the cast for The Permanent Way includes Flamina Cinque (Edward Hall's Othello, Push Up at the Royal Court), Nigel Cooke (Out of Joint's She Stoops To Conquer/A Laughing Matter, All My Sons at The National Theatre), Matthew Dunster (Coronation Street and Under The Whaleback for The Royal Court), Souad Faress, Sam Graham, Lloyd Hutchinson, Kika Markham, Bella Merlin and Ian Redford.

The Permanent Way is at the Yvonne Arnaud from February 8 until February 12.

Tickets, priced from £13, are available from the box office on 01483 440000.