Exclusive: Cast announced for 2015 tour of The History Boys

Hollyoaks' Steven Roberts is among a cast of rising stars who will appear in a revival of Alan Bennett's multi-award winning play The History Boys next year.

Roberts, who plays Posner, will star alongside Kedar Williams-Stirling (Wolfblood) as Dakin, Richard Hope (Democracy) as Hector and Christopher Ettridge (Twelve Angry Men) as Headmaster.

The cast also features Mark Field as Irwin, Susan Twist as Mrs Lintott, Sid Sagar as Akthar, Matthew Durkan as Crowther, Patrick McNamee as Lockwood, David Young as Rudge, Alex Hope as Scripps, Joshua Mayes Cooper as Timms, Chris Barritt as TV Director and Melody Brown as Fiona.

The production opens at the Palace Theatre, Southend on 26 January 2015, before visiting locations including Coventry, Brighton, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Blackpool and Exeter. New dates have been added in in Winchester, Windsor, Buxton, Darlington and Guildford.

Winner of over 30 major awards including the Olivier and Tony Awards for Best New Play, The History Boys is the story of a group of bright, funny and unruly 80s grammar school sixth-formers in pursuit of sex, sport and a place at university.

The play premiered at the National Theatre in 2004 and propelled several of its cast, including James Corden, Dominic Cooper and Samuel Barnett to stardom. The original cast reunited for last year's NT 50th gala, with Bennett standing in for the late Richard Griffiths, who originated Hector.

This new production is presented by Sell a Door Theatre Company, whose recent productions include Avenue Q, Spring Awakening and Seussical (West End).

For more information and full tour dates, click here