At this festive time of the year, writer and comedian Arthur Smith shares this tale of tribulations caused by his own Christmas spirit – the type that comes from a bottle and makes you fall over if you drink too much.

Dante’s Inferno lies somewhere in the no-man’s-land between medieval lecture and bizarrely surrealist musical, taking the audience on an epic journey from a rather unpleasant purgatory to an infinitely more relaxing paradise via the medium of Smith’s battle with the demon drink. This new comedy, from the man that brought you An Evening With Gary Lineker and Arthur Smith Sings Leonard Cohen, promises to feature a little infernal pandemonium, a touch of horrible execration and a little hideous blether for good measure.

Arthur Smith is best known for his TV and radio appearances on Grumpy Old Men, Red Dwarf, Just A Minute and The Smith Lectures. Dante’s Inferno is directed by fellow comedian Kevin Day who, in addition to appearing as a roving reporter for Match Of The Day 2, has writing credits for TV comedy quizzes Never Mind The Buzzcocks and They Think Its All Over.

Looking to see some musical theatre? Find out more about London musicals.