Mathew Horne stars in Charley’s Aunt at Chocolate Factory

While James Corden is receiving all the plaudits across the pond following his Tony win on Sunday, it’s been announced that his former comedy partner Mathew Horne will return to the stage to star in a revival of Brandon Thomas’ classic comedy Charley’s Aunt at the Menier Chocolate Factory this autumn.

Running from 20 September to 10 November 2012, the production will be directed by former Open Air Theatre artistic director Ian Talbot, who directed The Invisible Man at the Menier in 2009.

First performed in 1892, Charley’s Aunt tells the story of two friends awaiting the arrival of one’s Aunt Dona Lucia. The two wish to propose to their true loves, but need the presence of Dona Lucia to chaperone. Time is ticking and Charley’s Aunt gets delayed. Desperate, the boys blackmail their friend Lord Fancourt Babberley (Horne) to pose as the missing Aunt. True to comedic form, all falls apart and that’s when the fun begins.

Horne, who was recently seen on the West End stage in Joe Orton’s Entertaining Mr Sloane in 2009 (during which he famously collapsed due to exhaustion), follows a notable list of comic names to have played Lord Fancourt Babberley over the years, including Richard Goolden, Leslie Philips, John Mills, Frankie Howerd, Tom Courtenay and Griff Rhys Jones.

His other credits include BAFTA award-winning television series Gavin and Stacey, and his roles alongside James Corden in their BBC sketch show Horne and Corden and the feature film Lesbian Vampire Killers.