Sue Cleaver is returning to the world of Victoria Wood's Dinnerladies, taking on the role of Jean in a new touring stage production. The actress, 63, will appear alongside Les Dennis in the show, which begins in Manchester on January 26.
Cleaver, who played bread delivery woman Glenda in the original BBC1 series that ran from 1998 to 2000, is the only actor in the new production to have appeared in the TV show. She takes over the role of Jean from Anne Reid.
A natural fit for the role
Cleaver said the part felt like a natural fit. "I love Anne, and I've always loved the character of Jean. It felt a very natural fit for me - I'm really looking forward to it, 'cause she's got some of the best, most deadpan lines, hasn't she? As an aggressive depressive who knows it all."
She left Coronation Street 18 months ago, where she played Eileen Grimshaw from 2000, to return to theatre. "When they asked me, I just thought, 'I can't not do this'," she said.
Paying tribute to Victoria Wood
Cleaver said she believes Wood, who wrote the show and played lead character Bren, would be pleased her work continues to entertain. "I'm going to have a sense of Vic looking down on it - I just want to do her proud," she said, revealing she will wear a wig previously worn by Julie Walters, who played Brenda's mother Petula.
Wood died of cancer aged 62 in 2016. Cleaver described her as "an incredible force of nature" and "a perfectionist, who demanded a lot." She added: "Vic didn't take prisoners!"
Cast and creative team
The new version has been written by sisters Beth and Emma Kilcoyne, directed by Sean Foley and produced by Phil McIntyre Live. Bren will be played by Amy Drake, with Karen Henthorn as Dolly. The show also features the TV series' makeup designer Chrissy Baker.
Les Dennis, 72, was the first to be cast and will play maintenance man Stan, a role formerly taken by Duncan Preston. He said he accepted immediately: "I loved Dinnerladies, it was such a beautiful ensemble of people. Julie Walters is hilarious in it."
Dennis and Cleaver previously worked together on Coronation Street, where his character Michael Rodwell had a fling with Eileen. "Sue and I have kept in touch ever since I left," he said.
The storyline has been inspired by the original scripts. "It's Victoria's writing, and a lot of the scenes from Dinnerladies are incorporated," Dennis said. "The writers who have put it together have been very faithful to it."
The Dinnerladies UK tour starts in January with tickets available at dinnerladiestheplay.com.
