James McAvoy stars in Jamie Lloyd's Ruling Class at Trafalgar Studios

James McAvoy will star in a production of Peter Barnes' The Ruling Class at the Trafalgar Studios directed by Jamie Lloyd.

The show will be the final in the second Trafalgar Transformed season, and opens on 16 January 2015.

McAvoy, who last year played Macbeth for Lloyd as part of the director's inaugural tenancy at the Studios, will play the fictional 14th Earl of Gurney, a nobleman who inherits his father's estate, and thinks he's Jesus.

Described to the Daily Mail by McAvoy as "a metaphysical, social and political satire – in short, a shock-fest", Lloyd calls The Ruling Class an "inherently political play".

The production marks the first revival of the play since its first run in the 1960s, when it won the Evening Standard's best drama award.

Further casting is to be announced for the show, which runs until 11 April 2015. Tickets go onsale to ATG Theatrecard holders on 27 October and on general sale on 29 October.