The Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds, emerges from lockdown by staging a live online broadcast of Being Mr Wickham – a new play exploring the character of George Wickham, Jane Austen’s duplicitous soldier in her classic novel Pride and Prejudice.

The role of Wickham is being revisited by actor and co-author Adrian Lukis who first played the part in the BBC’s classic 1994 production opposite Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth.

The production has been developed by Lukis in partnership with Bury St Edmunds based Original Theatre Company.

Alastair Whatley, artistic director of Original Theatre Company, said: “After months spent making work from home, I am delighted to be returning to the beautiful Theatre Royal in Bury St Edmunds with Being Mr Wickham.

"This stunning regency theatre is the theatre we call home and it is an apt venue to host an evening with Adrian Lukis reprising his acclaimed performance as Mr Wickham.”

Adrian Lukis said of the production, "I’m thrilled to be reunited with my old friend, George Wickham. Having spent years defending his dubious reputation, I look forward to finally setting the record straight, with the assistance of the immensely talented Original Theatre Company."

The play will be live streamed from the stage of the Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds at 7.30pm on Friday, April 30 and at 3pm and 7.30pm on Saturday, May 1 via originaltheatreonline.com. Tickets are on sale now.

Running time will be 60 minutes with a 25 minute Q&A afterwards. Tickets can be booked online at Original Theatre Company or at the Theatre Royal’s online box office.

Pride and Prejudice’s George Wickham is on the eve of his 60th birthday and wants to lift the sheets on exactly what happened 30 years on from where Jane Austen left him.

Owen Calvert Lyons, artistic director of Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds, said: “Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds is delighted to be supporting Original Theatre to create Being Mr Wickham.

"George Wickham is one of literature’s most loved/hated figures and it feels fitting that he should make his return on the stage of the country’s last remaining Regency theatre. That audiences will experience this reinvention of Jane Austen’s story through online streaming is a beautiful fusion of the past and the future.”

This will be an online performance only. There will be no access to the Theatre Royal auditorium.