IT’S a case of Shakespeare meets show business when a show written by many of the country’s comedy icons arrives in the county for a week long run.

The show is bound to bring plenty of laughter to the stage when it opens on Tuesday at Malvern’s Festival Theatre.

The Shakespeare Revue, a comic concoction of hilarious sketches and show-stopping numbers written by leading names such as the late Victoria Wood, Alan Bennett, Maureen Lipman, the Monty Python team, Noël Coward, Cole Porter, Fry & Laurie and musical theatre favourites, Stephen Sondheim, Stiles and Drewe, along with many more, returns to the stage with a UK tour as part of the nationwide celebrations marking the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death.

With contributions from more than 40 writers, this joyous words-and-music celebration gathers together some of the finest comic material inspired by the Bard.

Originally produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company, The Shakespeare Revue - which opens on Tuesday, August 30 at Malvern's Festival Theatre and runs through to Saturday, September 3, first premiered at the Barbican Theatre in 1994 where it received rapturous critical and public acclaim.

Subsequently it prompted a West End transfer to the Vaudeville Theatre in 1995. Since then the show has played off-Broadway and has completed five major tours of the USA.

Multiple Olivier award-winning Producer Kenny Wax says: "In 1994 my producer friend Edward Snape asked me to book some dates for The Shakespeare Revue - a show that he was touring at the time. I fell in love with the performances, the sketches, the wonderful music and the sheer unadulterated fun that emanated from the stage. I'm delighted to be presenting the show with Cambridge Arts Theatre this time with a fresh, updated new version.”

Devised by Christopher Luscombe (director of the 2016 Best New Comedy Award winner Nell Gwynn starring Gemma Arterton) and Malcolm McKee, The Shakespeare Revue is directed by Malcolm McKee with choreography by Jenny Arnold and Nicola Keen and musical direction by Oli Jackson. Cast to include: Alex Scott Fairley, Alex Morgan, Jordan Lee Davies, Anna Stolli and Lizzie Bea.