THE West End hit East Is East will visit the Grand Opera House, York, from August 3 to 8 on a 16-week national tour, starring Pauline McLynn.

Best known for her British Comedy Award-winning role as Mrs Doyle in Channel 4’s Father Ted, she will play Ella Khan in Ayub Khan Din’s family drama, directed by Sam Yates.

“I’m very excited to be part of this production,” says Pauline. “The play is sparkling, funny and tender and I’m delighted to be working with the brilliant Sam Yates. I cannot wait to get out there with it.”

East Is East, Ayub Khan Din’s semi-autobiographical account of British Asian life in the 1970s, depicts the clash of cultures between a multi-cultural family growing up in Salford, Manchester – as you may well recall from the 1999 film version that followed the play’s 1997 premiere at the Royal Court.

Pakistani chip-shop owner George Khan – ‘Genghis’ to his children – is determined to give them a strict Muslim upbringing against the unforgiving backdrop of 1970s Salford.

Household tensions reach breaking point as their long-suffering English mother, Ella, is caught in the crossfire; her loyalties divided between her marriage and the free will of her children.

Pauline McLynn, who has appeared in Shameless as Libby Croker and EastEnders as Yvonne Cotton, will be joined by cast members from the West End production at Trafalgar Studios, among them Ashley Kumar as Tariq Khan, Darren Kuppan as Maneer Khan and Sally Bankes as Auntie Annie.

Kuppan was outstanding in Northern Broadsides’ 2014 tour of An August Bank Holiday Lark, as seen on tour at York Theatre Royal last year. The full cast will be announced in due course.

East Is East is the first major tour to be mounted by Trafalgar Transformed, whose production is designed by Tom Scutt, with lighting by Richard Howell and sound and music by Alex Baranowski.

“It now forms part of our drive to make our work accessible to all,” says Trafalgar Transformed artistic director Jamie Lloyd. “I’m thrilled that so many more people, all over the country, will get to see Sam Yates’ vivid production of this modern classic, and I’m delighted to welcome Pauline McLynn to the company.”

The tour will include further Yorkshire runs at the Alhambra Theatre, Bradford, from August 31 to September 5, and Sheffield Lyceum, September 7 to 12.

• Tickets for 7.30pm evening performances and 2.30pm Wednesday and Saturday matinees in York cost £10 to £34 on 0844 871 3024 or at atgtickets.com/york