Sue Cleaver hails Dinnerladies stage tour as Victoria Wood's legacy

Actress Sue Cleaver has said Victoria Wood would be "over the moon" with a new stage adaptation of beloved sitcom Dinnerladies, which she hailed as "a celebration of her legacy".

Best known as Eileen Grimshaw in ITV soap Coronation Street, Cleaver is among the famous faces joining the new production, which is the first to be commissioned by Wood's estate since her death in 2016 at the age of 62.

The 63-year-old, who featured in the BBC show as a recurring character, will take the stage as cynical canteen worker Jean, who was played by Anne Reid in the show.

She said the script it "blew her away" and that it had been "beautifully adapted" from Wood's show.

The show, created, written and co-produced by Wood, aired on the BBC from 1998 to 2000 and followed the workplace dramas of the staff and regulars in a canteen at a factory in Manchester.

More than 25 years on, Cleaver told BBC Radio Manchester the sitcom, which ran for two series was "observational comedy at its finest".

She said: "I'm thrilled to be doing it.

"It's such a celebration of Vic's work. It's about the celebration of her and her legacy.

"I think she'd be over the moon and I'm very excited to be a part of it."

Cleaver added: "There's no way [the audience] are not going to be able to enjoy this show.

"It's a British classic and nobody writes the way Vic writes.

"If you've never been in a theatre in your life, make this the one time that you do come because it won't let you down."

"[Wood] brought the ordinary to life with sharp, warm, witty, lovely comedy," Cleaver said.

The actress said the play was "very true to the show" and Wood's writing, adding: "I just know her work so well, and there will always be a Vic voice in the back of my head.

"I will be listening for those little moments of that popping through, keeping true to how she wrote it."

She continued: "When I read the script, it blew me away because there is everything there from every episode. You will recognise so much and it has been beautifully adapted so that it just all runs together like syrup."

What did Cleaver think Wood would have made of the show?

She said: "I think she would be sat at the front of the stage running the show and would very much have her eye on every detail - and I'm sure she is somewhere - so we're going to do her proud."

Cleaver will be joined in the play by EastEnders star Karen Henthorn, who will play snobby canteen worker Dolly Bellfield, and described her new role as a "dream come true".

"I used to love watching Dinnerladies as it was such a hilarious and heartwarming sitcom, so I cannot wait to bring the snooty snipes from Dolly to life on stage and hear audiences laughing up and down the country," Henthorn said.

Amy Drake will step into Wood's role as deputy canteen manager Brenda "Bren" Furlong, while Gemma Dobson will play her cynical young employee Twinkle.

Emmerdale actor Jimmy Fairhurst will portray canteen manager Tony Martin, while Waterloo Road actress Rachel Marwood stars as canteen regular Jane.

Other characters include naive canteen worker Anita (Faye Weerasinghe), scatty human resources manager Philippa (Rachel Pickup) and Bren's mother Petula (Josie Brightwell), with Sarah Dearlove, Alex Frost, Matthew Gordon, Angela Heenan and Tyne Pearson also among the cast.

It was previously announced that Les Dennis will star as opinionated but well-meaning maintenance man Stan, the role played on TV by Duncan Preston.

The new play is directed by Sean Foley, and has been adapted by Beth and Emma Kilcoyne.

It will open at the Churchill Theatre in Bromley on 22 January before a run at the Manchester Opera House and a national tour.

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