SHE Stoops To Conquer will be the happy filling in the sad sandwich otherwise known as Les Miserables when Pick Me Up Theatre stage two contrasting shows between February 17 and 27 in York.

George Stagnell's production of Les Mis will be performed at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre either side of a three-day run for Oliver Goldsmith's 18th century comedy.

Director Robert Readman decided She Stoops To Conquer would be the perfect antidote to the ten performances of Boublil and Schonberg's very earnest musical. “Les Mis isn’t the cheeriest of shows, so it made perfect sense to cross the Channel and give audiences a lift with a classic English comedy of manners that's as fresh, funny and joyous today as when it was first performed in 1773," says Robert.

"We'll use the same set and even one or two of the same costumes: Madame Thenardier’s wig will appear on the head of Mrs Hardcastle."

In Goldsmith's play, wealthy countryman Mr Hardcastle is looking forward to introducing his daughter Kate to the son of his old friend Sir Charles Marlow with a view to marriage. However, mayhem ensues and mistakes multiply after his mischievous stepson Tony Lumpkin tricks young Marlow and his friend Hastings into believing Mr Hardcastle is a common innkeeper.

When Kate discovers Marlow is petrified of ladies of class but a charmer with common girls, she pretends to be a barmaid and stoops to conquer his heart.

Last year, Pick Me Up staged a specially commissioned performance of She Stoops at Pocklington School's Tom Stoppard Theatre for an 80th birthday celebration. This month's revival at the Rowntree Theatre brings together the original cast of Mark Hird and Juliet Waters as Mr and Mrs Hardcastle, Stephanie Bolster as his daughter Kate and Sam Baxter as her idiotic son Tony Lumpkin.

Craig Kirby plays Sir Charles Marlow and Sam Hird will be his stammering son, while Simon Radford travels from Cannes for York to star as the deviously devilish Hastings, who feigns friendship only to get his hands on the delightful Miss Neville, played by newcomer Mabel Goulden. The cast is completed by Adam Sowter, Holly Surtees Smith and director Robert Readman, who appears as a multitude of servants.

Cast members Sam Hird and Sam Baxter will be playing Jean Valjean and Monsieur Thenardier respectively in Les Miserables, so no there will be no rest for the two Sams, although at least their singing voices will have a three-day sabbatical, much to the delight of Sam Hird.

“It’ll be so much fun switching from playing such a tragic role as Jean Valjean to the stammering wreck of a man who only has confidence in the presence of wenches," he says.

"From singing the glorious Bring Him Home to parading around in Regency garb, it's a real challenge. Let’s hope I remember which is which.”

Sam Baxter, who must don a delightful red wig to play Tony Lumpkin, has a slightly easier time in prospect. "Playing a villain like Thenardier requires a lot of over-the-top theatricality and my role in She Stoops is similarly ridiculous. Tony Lumpkin, such a beautifully descriptive name, is a galumphing idiot: a dream role.

Sam Baxter will be returning to the Rowntree Theatre stage from May 11 to 15 as Alan Dangle in Pick Me Up's staging of Richard Bean's One Man Two Guvnors.

In the meantime, Les Miserables will run from Wednesday to Saturday and February 24 to 27; She Stoops To Conquer, from February 21 to 23. Box office: 01904 623568 or pickmeuptheatre.com