Declan Bennett and Samuel Barnett cast in Kiss of the Spider Woman

Casting has been announced for Kiss of the Spider Woman, which opens at the Menier Chocolate Factory in March.

Directed by Laurie Sansom, Samuel Barnett and Declan Bennett will play Molina and Valentin respectively.

José Rivera (The Motorcycle Diaries) and Allan Baker's play is a new adaptation of Manuel Puig's novel, which tells the tale of love, victimisation and the friendship that develops between two strikingly different men imprisoned together in a Latin American jail.

Puig's novel was adapted into a musical by John Kander and Fred Ebb, with a book by Terrence McNally, which premiered in the West End in 1992 and on Broadway in 1993, winning the Tony Award for Best Musical.

Barnett's stage credits include the original cast of The History Boys at the National Theatre and on Broadway, and Dealer's Choice at the Menier Chocolate Factory. Bennett was most recently seen leading the cast of Regent's Park Open Air Theatre production of Jesus Christ Superstar, his other credits include Once and Ameridan Idiot.

Kiss of the Spider Woman runs at the Menier Chocolate Factory from 21 March to 5 May, with previews from 8 March.