James Lance and John Gordon Sinclair will become the third comedy duo to take on the iconic roles of Bertie Wooster and his faithful valet Jeeves in Sean Foley’s Olivier Award-winning production based on P G Wodehouse’s classic stories.
The well-known pair will lead Jeeves And Wooster In Perfect Nonsense from 30 June and are joined by Robert Goodale, who co-wrote the hit with brother David, in the role of Seppings.
Earning critical acclaim when it made its world premiere at the Duke of York’s Theatre in October with Stephen Mangan and Matthew Macfadyen in the title roles, the hilarious show sees Wooster called upon to play matchmaker and reconcile the affections of drippy Madeline Bassett with Gussie Fink-Nottle. If Wooster, ably assisted by the ever-dependable Jeeves, can’t pull off the wedding of the season he’ll be forced to abandon his cherished bachelor status and marry the ghastly girl himself.
Both Lance and Sinclair may well be best known to audiences for their regular appearances on screen. Lance is arguably still recognised for his long-running role in Channel 4 comedy Teachers, as well as appearances in other popular comedy series Smack The Pony and I’m Alan Partridge, while Sinclair most famously led 1980s cult film Gregory’s Girl.
On stage, Lance follows roles in the Royal Court’s Ingredient X and Celebrity Autobiography at the Leicester Square Theatre. Olivier Award winner Sinclair is a regular on the West End stage, appearing in numerous productions during his successful career including The Ladykillers, The Producers and Absurd Person Singular.
While Goodale now has an Olivier Award to his name following his co-penned show’s success in the Best New Comedy category at last month’s ceremony, he has also enjoyed a successful career as an actor and boasts numerous credits with the Royal Shakespeare Company and Shakespeare’s Globe. The multi-talented performer’s most recent credits include Dr Faustus at the outdoor London venue, and Doc Martin and City Of Vice on screen.
The forthcoming comedy trio will take over from current cast members Mark Heap, Robert Webb and Mark Hadfield, and entertain audiences in the hilarious slapstick comedy hit until 20 September when the show and its cast will head off on a UK tour.