ONE of the theatre-world’s great old comedies is bound to have its audiences chuckling when it plays in repertoire at Stratford-upon-Avon’s Swan Theatre for a couple of months from May 26.

Ben Jonson’s hilarious satire, The Alchemist, revels in just how vain humans can be and features some wonderful and weirdly named characters such as Pertinax Surly, Sir Epicure Mammon, Face and Tribulation Wholesome.

The Royal Shakespeare Company has now announced the full cast for this production with Ken Nwosu (Othello, The Merchant of Venice, 2015) returning to the RSC to play butler-turned-fraudster, Face.

Others lined up to appear are Mark Lockyer, who recently featured in Rufus Norris’ 2015 film London Road, and last appeared on the Swan stage in Gregory Doran’s 2004 production of Othello. He will be playing Face’s con-artist aid, Subtle, while Siobhán McSweeney, who played Ruth Cheetham in hit Channel 4 drama No Offence (2015), plays their partner in crime, prostitute Dol Common.

Ian Redford also returns to the RSC to play Sir Epicure Mammon. He last appeared on the Swan stage in The Roaring Girls season in 2014.

The Alchemist also marks the return of director Polly Findlay after overseeing The Merchant of Venice in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre last year.

The story itself has London hit by an outbreak of the plague and the wealthy Lovewit flees to the country, leaving his townhouse in the hands of his trusted butler.

But no sooner has his master left, than Jeremy begins turning the house into a den of criminal activity.

Assuming an alias (Face), he recruits fellow conman, Subtle, and prostitute, Doll Common to help him and sets out to rip off half of London.  Things couldn’t be going better for the gleeful trio, until they receive a very unwelcome visitor. 

The Alchemist opens on Thursday, May 26 and runs through to Saturday, August 6.