Spike starring John Dagleish to tour UK later this year

Exclusive: John Dagleish will reprise his acclaimed role as Spike Milligan later this year in Spike, the comedy by Ian Hislop and Nick Newman, when it embarks on a UK tour.

Dagleish, whose credits include Kinks musical Sunny Afternoon in the West End, created the role of Spike when the play premiered at the Watermill Theatre in January.

Spike will be directed by Watermill artistic director Paul Hart, with design by Katie Lias, lighting design by Rory Beaton. The composer is Tayo Akinbode with sound design by Tom Marshall. Anjali Mehra is movement director and Ruth Sullivan is the Foley sound consultant.

Opening at the Cheltenham Everyman on 6 September, it will tour to Malvern, Guildford, Oxford, Salisbury, Brighton, Aylesbury, Glasgow, Richmond, Blackpool and Cardiff.

The play charts the career of the off-beat comic, who found fame in the 1950s alongside Harry Secombe and Peter Sellers in The Goon Show.

John Dagleish said: "I'm so thrilled to be playing Spike Milligan again and take this fantastically funny play around the country in what will be my first ever touring production. Such a brilliant script, with a wonderfully talented cast, celebrating the life and work of one of the all-time comedy greats."

The Watermill production of Spike is produced by Karl Sydow, Trademark Films, PW Productions and Anthology Theatre. Full casting will be announced soon.

Tickets for selected dates are available below.