James McAvoy in The Ruling Class at Trafalgar Studios

Jamie Lloyd Productions have announced the next production in the Trafalgar Transformed season, The Ruling Class by Peter Barnes which will run at the Trafalgar Studios from 16 January 2015 to 11 April 2015, with an official opening on 27 January.

BAFTA winning and Golden Globe nominated actor James McAvoy will return to the Trafalgar Studios following his previous run in 'Macbeth', which saw him nominated for an Olivier Award. Further casting is yet to be announced.

Directed by Jamie Lloyd, the production will feature designs by Soutra Gilmour, lighting design by Jon Clark and sound design by Ben and Max Ringham.

"Jack, a possible paranoid schizophrenic with a Messiah complex, inherits the title of the 14th Earl of Gurney after his father passes away in a bizarre accident. Singularly unsuited to a life in the upper echelons of elite society, Jack finds himself at the centre of a ruthless power struggle as his scheming family strives to uphold their reputation."

The Ruling Class premiered in 1968 at the Nottingham Playhouse and transferred to the Piccadilly Theatre in the West End where it won the Evening Standard Award for Best Drama in 1969. This black and caustic class comedy was then made into a movie in 1972 starring Peter O'Toole.

Jamie Lloyd said of the announcement: "I am honoured to be directing the first ever revival of Peter Barnes' anarchic cult comedy, which takes a satirical look at the Establishment and will, therefore, feel more politically resonant than ever in the run up to the General Election next year. With the news that James McAvoy could join us again, I felt that this vivid production of Barnes' explosively funny play should conclude the second Trafalgar Transformed season..."

Tickets for the production will go on general sale from Wednesday 29 October 2014 at 10am.