A COMEDY commissioned to celebrate the visit of the Lindisfarne Gospels to the North-East this summer has been cast.

A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To Durham by regional playwrights Ed Waugh and Trevor Wood will be premiered at the Gala Theatre, Durham, before touring the region.

The cast comprises Tyneside-based Chris Connel, Viktoria Kay, from Sunderland, and Yorkshire-based Robert Hudson. The show will be directed by Gareth Tudor-Price, long-time collaborator with playwright and director John Godber.

Mr Waugh said: “We were asked to write a comedy to celebrate the exhibition of the Lindisfarne Gospels in Durham. The best description of the play is a cross between Monty Python, Blackadder and Horrible Histories, with our own brand of humour mixed in.”

Dates and venues include: July 2-6, Gala Theatre, Durham; July 10, Hamsterley Village Hall; July 15, Civic Theatre, Darlington; July 18, Middlesbrough Theatre.

For Gala Theatre performances, call 03000 266 600 or go to galadurham.co.uk.