“IDEAL” STAGE ADAPTATION REVEALS FULL CAST LINEUP AHEAD OF PREMIERE AT SALFORD’S LOWRY
Johnny Vegas reprises his role as ‘Moz’
IDEAL’s most memorable characters set to return including Psycho Paul and Brian
“IDEAL”, the special 20th anniversary stage adaptation of the multi-award-winning BBC TV sitcom by the same name, has announced its full cast line-up ahead of its nationwide tour that starts in September 2025 at Lowry, Salford.
Johnny Vegas will be reprising his role as ‘Moz’, Manchester’s longest serving weed dealer, for a ‘dope opera’ of epic proportions, and fans can expect to see the return of some of their favourite characters and cast members from the beloved BBC TV comedy.
The full confirmed cast list is as follows:
Johnny Vegas as Moz - long recognised as one the UK’s most treasured comics, Johnny’s performance as Moz, the Salford based dealer, is his signature role. Johnny has also starred in the TV shows Still Open All Hours, Murder They Hope, Benidorm and Bleak House, as well as appearing in feature films such as Time Travel is Dangerous, Grimsby, and The Libertine.
Ben Crompton as Colin - a bouncy, childlike petty criminal who is usually on probation. With acting credits including Game of Thrones, The Full Monty, Kill List and Rebecca, Crompton returns to the IDEAL cast, allowing fans to see the beloved character like never before.
Joanna Neary as Judit - the timid, demure necrophiliac who is constantly saying "sorry". As a writer and comedy performer, Joanna was nominated for Best Newcomer at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Best Comedy Show at Leicester Comedy Festival and won Best Female Actor for Fringe Report. Her other TV work includes Miranda That Mitchell and Webb Look, Time Trumpet, Last Chancers and Man Down.
Ryan Pope as Psycho Paul - originally a rival dealer to Moz before joining forces with the iconic Cartoon Head, Psycho Paul is one of the show’s most scary characters. Ryan Pope’s other work includes Andor, Coronation Street, Ashes To Ashes, A Field in England and Shameless, alongside numerous theatre roles.
Emma Fryer as Tania - Colin’s sister. Emma Fryer’s credits include starring in and co-writing her own comedy series Home Time (BBC), as well as roles in Phoneshop, Toast of London, Critical, Kill List, Moving On, In The Dark, Skint and Red Rose. Now, she is returning to her first ever TV acting role to knock once again on Moz’s front door.
Graham Duff as Brian - one of Moz’s oldest friends - a character who’s ‘camper than a row of pink tents’. IDEAL’s creator and writer, Graham Duff’s other acting credits include Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows, Alan Partridge, Doctor Who, High Rise, Dr. Terrible’s House of Horrible and Hebburn.
The IDEAL stage show will bring fans the chance to see all these characters reunited for a brand new and unmissable live adventure that is dark, surreal and laugh out loud funny.
Manchester's longest serving weed dealer, is still dealing to a circle of 20-odd friends. And some of them are very odd indeed: Big, gay Brian is trying to make ends meet on OnlyFans, Colin the scally is fresh out of prison, and the beautiful Tania is planning to flee the country with some ill-gotten cash. Meanwhile, Salford's most disorganised criminals: Psycho Paul and Cartoon Head have a new business: disposing of dead bodies for other gangs. But everything spins out of control, when a murder at Moz's flat turns everyone into a suspect...
Written by Graham Duff, IDEAL is the critically acclaimed winner of several Royal Television Society awards. The show was a major rating hit, and ran for 53 episodes across seven seasons and has garnered a devoted, cult following. The new stage adaptation is produced by Edge Street Live & Woolyback Productions. It will open at Lowry in Salford from Monday 8th to Saturday 13th September before touring to Shrewsbury, Ilkley, Sunderland, Sheffield, Stamford, Bury St Edmunds, Norwich, Halifax, Stroud, Caerphilly, Frome, Worthing, and London.
Tickets are available now at thelowry.com