THE cast for this autumn's production of By Jeeves at The Old Laundry Theatre has been announced.

The Andrew Lloyd Webber and Alan Ayckbourn production will form the centre-piece in the Bowness theatre's 25th anniversary celebrations when it arrives for a month-long run later this year.

Bill Champion and Nadim Naaman lead the cast of established actors performing in the light-hearted, fun musical.

Andrew Lloyd Webber says: "I confess that this is the musical that I privately look forward most to seeing."

Currently starring as Raoul in Lloyd Webber‘s 30th Anniversary cast of The Phantom of The Opera at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Nadim Naaman will play loveable chump and bachelor Bertie Wooster.

And long-term Ayckbourn collaborator actor Bill Champion will play the titular role of the faithful and long-suffering manservant, Jeeves.

The pair are joined by a cast of iconic Wodehouse characters in By Jeeves, including: Jamie Baughan as clergyman Stinker Pinker; Katie Birtill as the cute and spoiled Madelaine Bassett; Howard Chadwick as Madelaine’s controlling father Judge Watkyn Bassett; Joshua Manning as villain and jelly tycoon Cyrus Budge; Oliver Maudsley as reclusive scientist Gussie Fink-Nottle; Naomi Petersen as Bassett’s sweet ward Stiffy Bing; Nigel Richards as nerdy friend Bingo Little; and Melle Stewart as hedgehog lover Honoria Glossop.

By Jeeves will bring back together the original creative team from 1996, including Olivier and Tony Award-winning Alan Ayckbourn, who will direct, set designer Roger Glossop, and choreographer Sheila Carter. Joining the production team is musical director Steven Edis, costumes Caroline Hughes and lighting Jason Taylor.

The Old Laundry Theatre’s directors, Roger Glossop and his theatre producer wife Charlotte Scott say: “We are really delighted to be putting on this revival of By Jeeves to be directed by Alan Ayckbourn. The original show, which re-opened the Stephen Joseph Theatre in 1996, transferred to the West End and moved across the waters to Washington, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh and Broadway was such a fulfilling theatrical enterprise for all the creative team, cast and crew that the idea we can re-visit this piece, with its wit, pace and beautiful songs and present a large scale production at the Old Laundry Theatre is a fitting celebration for our 25th."

Set in the 1920s and keeping the dottiness of the original PJ Wodehouse stories, By Jeeves brings to life a cast of colourful characters, who include Bertie Wooster with his unquenchable optimism and his wonderfully supercilious butler Jeeves, renowned for his deadpan digs. The colourful characters continually and hilariously swap identities as they battle to salvage love and cover up embarrassing errors, causing confusion and mayhem galore.

Alan Ayckbourn adds: “By Jeeves is a party. It’s a celebration of theatre. I was always attracted by the innocence in Wodehouse and love the simplicity and characters, which I still find so refreshing.”

By Jeeves runs at The Old Laundry Theatre from Friday October 6 to Saturday November 4.