Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s tale of romantic entanglement and disguise is brought bang up to date in this new production.

The Rivals follows the meddling Mrs Malaprop on her quest to marry off her spirited niece, Lydia Languish. But with the handsome Captain Absolute and the poetic but penniless Beverley vying for her hand, Lydia has ideas of her own. Little does she realise that these rivals are one and the same man.

Southwark Playhouse’s production of The Rivals stars much loved actress Celia Imrie (Acorn Antiques, Cranford) along with Ella Smith (Fat Pig) and Charity Wakefield (the BBC’s Sense And Sensibility)