Johnny Vegas is reviving Ideal – as a stage show.
The comic will be reprising his role as small-scale weed dealer Moz in a 20th anniversary production at the Lowry, Salford next year.
Vegas said: ‘Moz is back and he’s more chaotic than ever. Fans of Ideal will absolutely love the stage show, which is full of laugh-out-loud moments and bizarre twists and turns.
‘It’s amazing to be able to breathe new life into the series and once again be stepping into the shoes of one of Manchester’s most well-known weed dealers. You’d be a fool to miss it!"
The plot has Moz, and gangsters Psycho Paul and Cartoon Head – who is never seen behind his mouse mask – having to dispose of a dead body. But when they discover priceless diamonds inside the corpse, things spin out of control. Can they stop Cartoon Head from going on a killing spree? Will big gay Brian find true love? And can Moz survive the strangest night of his life?
It written by Graham Duff, who penned all 53 episodes of the TV show, which originally aired on BBC Three for seven seasons from 2005 to 2011. All episodes were posted to iPlayer last month.
• Then and now: A scene from the original BBC series and a promotional shot for the stage show
The TV show also starred comics including Seymour Mace, Tony Burgess, Joanna Neary, Jo Enright, Andrew Lawrence and Mick Miller – although the supporting cast for the theatre show has not yet been announced.
The stage adaptation is produced by Edge Street Live and Vegas’s company, Woolyback Productions, and will initially run from September 8 to 13 at he Lowry. The venue previously hosted the first stage revival of Early Doors.
Tickets for Ideal show go on general sale at 10am on Friday.
