FROM the writer of Father Ted, Black Books and The IT Crowd comes the smash-hit stage adaptation of The Ladykillers, which will be performed at Scarborough’s Stephen Joseph Theatre from May 5 to 9.

First staged at Liverpool Playhouse in 2011, The Ladykillers went on to a record-breaking debut season in the West End where it had critics and audiences in raptures.

Now the Stephen Joseph Theatre’s sister venue, the New Vic, in Newcastle-under-Lyme, is teaming up with Hull Truck Theatre to present a new adaptation of the Ealing classic by BAFTA and Emmy Award-winning television comedy writer Graham Linehan.

When criminal mastermind Professor Marcus and a motley crew of misfits pose as amateur musicians to rent rooms from the sweetly eccentric Mrs Wilberforce, the police have no idea that they are planning a daring robbery.

But Mrs Wilberforce is not so easily deceived. With his brilliant plot rumbled, the professor decides that there is only one way to keep the old lady quiet – Mrs Wilberforce must face the music. And he doesn’t mean a string quartet.

Andrew Pollard, the writer behind the Stephen Joseph Theatre’s past five Christmas plays and a favourite of the New Vic where he last appeared as Phileas Fogg in Around the World in 80 Days, heads the crew as the Professor.

Michael Hugo plays gangster Louis Harvey and returns to Scarborough where he most recently performed in Northern Broadsides’ The Grand Gesture.

Louisa Wilberforce is played by Anna Kirke, whose previous credits include the national tour of Equus in 2011 and Abigail’s Party with London Classic Theatre.

Joining them on stage as the oafish One-Round is Andy Gillies, whose television credits include BBC’s Doctor Who and Channel 4’s Man Down; Timothy Speyer, seen last year in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s productions of The Witch of Edmonton and The Roaring Girl, plays Constable MacDonald and Jane Tromleyton.

Matthew Rixon who also appeared in the New Vic’s Around the World in 80 Days and York Theatre Royal’s King Arthur, plays Major Courtney.

Matt Sutton, previously seen in the UK tour of Tom Wells’ Jumpers For Goalposts, completes the company as petty criminal, Harry Robinson. The production is directed by Hull Truck artistic director Mark Babych.

The Ladykillers can be seen from Tuesday, May 5 to Saturday, May 9, at 7.30pm each night, except Thursday when there is an earlier performance at 7pm, plus matinees at 1.30pm on Thursday, May 7 and 2.30pm on Saturday, May 9.

Tickets, priced from £10 to £24.50, are available from box office on 01723 370541 or at sjt.uk.com