Bread star heads to castle

A former star of 1980s sitcom Bread will among the line-up of this year's Stafford Festival Shakespeare production, it was today revealed.

Victor McGuire, who played Jack Boswell in the cult series, will take on the role of Malvolio in Twelfth Night at Stafford Castle. Mr McGuire's character was the second eldest of the five children in Bread, which ran from 1986 to 1991, and earned his keep by wheeling and dealing from the back of his battered van.

The Liverpudlian actor also appeared in Guy Ritchie's Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels as one of the two hapless scouse bandits who carry out the burglary at the centre of the film's plot.

However, he is no stranger to Shakespeare, having appeared in A Midsummer Night's Dream during a season at the Liverpool Everyman and playing Grumio in The Taming of the Shrew at the West Yorkshire Playhouse.

Derrick Gask, artistic programme manager and producer of the Stafford Festival Shakespeare production, said: "I'm delighted that Victor has been able to join our company for this year's open air show at Stafford Castle.

"It seems apt that the former Bread actor joins us for the show, as the previous production of Twelfth Night, saw his mum in the sitcom, Jean Boht, play the role of Maria. Victor is an extremely talented and established comedic actor and I think he will be a wonderful addition to our company."

Rehearsals started on Monday and the show opens on June 25. Tickets, from £15, are available from the Gatehouse Theatre on 01785 254653.