Tom Conti to star in Before The Party tour

Casting has been announced for Rodney Ackland's satirical comedy Before the Party, which opens in Windsor in September.

Tom Conti, who recently starred in Twelve Angry Men on tour and in the West End and whose myriad of acting credits include The Dark Knight Rises, will lead the cast alongside Gwen Taylor. Taylor is well known for her role as Anne Foster on Coronation Street with her theatre credits including Driving Miss Daisy, The Butterfly Lion, and Calendar Girls.

Tom Conti will also direct the production, having first directed the play in 1980 at the Apollo Theatre, which starred Jane Asher and Michael Gough.

Based on a short story by Somerset Maugham, the play centres around the Skinner family as they try and adjust to post-war life and prepare for their latest social gathering.

Further casting is to be announced.

Before The Party will open on 2 September 2015 at the Theatre Royal in Windsor, before touring to Norwich, Woking, Malvern, Cheltenham, Bath and Eastbourne.