Les Dennis to lead Twelfth Night cast at Shakespeare North

Les Dennis will don Malvolio’s yellow stockings to appear in a new production of Twelfth Night at Shakespeare North Playhouse this summer.

The 70-year-old actor and comedian is making his Shakespearean debut in the role, and follows in the footsteps of the late Sir Ken Dodd who played the Malvolio on stage at the Liverpool Playhouse back in 1971.

Twelfth Night, a co-production between Shakespeare North and Not Too Tame, will be staged in the venue’s Cockpit Theatre from June 7-29.

Tickets go on priority sale tomorrow and on general sale on Thursday at 10am.

The production is being billed as a ‘contemporary revamp’ of the 420-year-old romantic comedy, complete with ‘riffs, ruffs, and riotous partying’ in a world where ‘the stage is set, the music is pumping, and love takes centre stage as the ultimate headliner.’

Shakespeare North and Warrington-based Not Too Tame previously collaborated on A Midsummer Night’s Dream which officially opened the Prescot theatre in summer 2022.

Dennis, who acted in two Restoration plays at the RSC in 2019, said today: “I’m thrilled to be playing Malvolio in Twelfth Night.

“Ever since I went to Stratford with the school and saw it (in 1970), I’ve always wanted to do it. The great Sir Ken Dodd famously played the part, and the fact Shakespeare North has a Doddy garden through the support of Lady Dodd and the Sir Ken Dodd Foundation is an additional bonus.

"How tickled I am to be following in his footsteps."

Twelfth Night is at Shakespeare North Playhouse from June 7-29. More details and tickets HERE