Vice Versa: The RSC play 'lovingly ripped off from Plautus'

"Side-splitting comedy romp" is definitely a phrase we like reading. Those words appear alongside the title of a new production from the Royal Shakespeare Company, indicating the Stratford-upon-Avon theatre group's new farce is going to be something for comedy fans to seek out.

Vice Versa, which is by their own admission "lovingly ripped off from the Roman comedies of Plautus", looks set to be a hoot. The new play actually has a longer official title. Take a deep breath before embarking upon this: The Decline and Fall of General Braggadocio at the Hands of his Canny Servant Dexter and Terence the Monkey.

That there is a pretty good explanation as to what the play is about. To expand further though: Set in Roman times, it focuses on a wily servant and a pair of wronged young lovers who team up to bamboozle a pompous general.

There's further plot details on the RSC website, but it's probably good enough to enter the venue just knowing there's two hours of farce ahead of you. Dodgy disguises, comic capers and a monkey create pandemonium as the tricksters at the heart of the tale try to save a girl, free a servant and live to tell the tale.

Vice Versa is being overseen by director Janice Honeyman, who piles on the physical fun in this world premiere production. Meanwhile, the script comes from the experienced Phil Porter, the writer who has previously been involved in RSC productions such as The Christmas Truce and A Mad World My Masters. Most recently though, he worked with Sean Foley to bring Moliere's comedy The Miser to the stage in the all-star West End production lead by Griff Rhys Jones.

Talking about Vice Versa, Porter explains: "This is very much a new play but borrows considerably from the works of Plautus, the great comic playwright who wrote for Roman audiences some 2,200 years ago. Vice Versa is loosely based on Plautus' Miles Gloriosus, the story of a boastful soldier who gets his comeuppance at the hands of his neighbour, his servant, and a woman who he's kidnapped."

Talking about staging the play, he adds: "I hope Vice Versa captures the fabulous comic mischief which Plautus implemented in his own work. The RSC attracts the very best people in every role, so I know what I write has the best chance of succeeding on the stage." Indeed, this production has a great cast.

Felix Hayes (pictured in rehearsals) takes on the lead role of General Braggadocio, the man who in his own mind is in no doubt that everyone adores him... especially the local women of Rome. The reality though is that Braggadocio lives up to his name - "he is an absolute windbag!" It's a return to the RSC for Hayes, who was previously in the 2012 What Country Friends Is This? season.

Meanwhile sitcom fans will recognise the name of the actress who is making her RSC debut playing the character Climax. Kim Hartman has previously made millions laugh as Private Helga Geerhart in the classic BBC comedy 'Allo 'Allo!.

The full cast list also includes As You Like It star Sophia Nomvete as scheming servant Dexter, and appearing alongside her will be Ellie Beaven (Voluptua); Nicholas Day (Philoproximus); Bally Gill (Roman); Laura Kirman (Impetus); Steven Kynman (servant Feclus); Geoffrey Lumb (Valentin); Byron Mondahl (servant Omnivorous); Esther Niles (Roman); Harriet Slater (Roman); Katherine Toy (Roman); Jon Trenchard (Terence) and Johnson Willis (Ocadus).

To give you a flavour of what to expect if you make it to The Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon this summer, check out the video below which introduces Felix Hayes as General Braggadocio: