RADCLIFFE actor John Partridge is back up north next month as Tom Stoppard's hilarious play Rough Crossing takes to the stage at The Lowry, as part of a nationwide tour.

The television and stage actor, best known to television audiences as Christian Clarke in EastEnders, leads the star cast. John, who won this year's Masterchef, will be joined by one of the theatre's brightest upcoming stars, Olivier-award nominee Charlie Stemp, who starred opposite Bette Midler in "Hello Dolly" on Broadway.

They will be joined by West End star Issy van Randwyck, comedy television favourite Matthew Cottle, Holby City's Rob Ostlere and Simon Dutton who portrayed Simon Templar in The Saint in Bill Kenwright new production of what is described as one of the most hilarious and brilliant plays by Tom Stoppard, Tony and Oscar award-winning writer of Arcadia, Travesties and Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead.

The play is about two famous but desperate playwrights are stuck on an Ocean liner headed for New York, feverishly trying to rehearse their latest show before reaching land, and opening night.

But they are constantly distracted by their delicate composer’s attempts to end it all, having overheard his lover confess her feelings to the leading man.

Add an absurdly unorthodox waiter, a mistimed lifeboat drill and a vanishing glass of brandy and soon the sharp Atlantic winds turn to world-class gales of laughter as these colourful characters become tangled up in a typically Stoppardian string of absurd events.

Rough Crossing opens at The Lowry on February 18 and runs until February 23. Times are 7.30pm with 2pm showings on Wednesday and Saturday.

For more information visit https://thelowry.com/