York Stage will present Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall’s Yorkshire comedy Billy Liar, starring Alex Papachristou as dreamer Billy Fisher, at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, next month.

“Alex is a diverse performer with immense stage presence,” says director Robert Readman.

“Billy Liar is one of the defining stage roles from the 1960s and I know Alex will embrace the chance to play so many characters all wrapped up in one!”

Billy Liar tells of the escapades of chameleon William “Billy” Fisher, a young undertaker’s clerk in the fictional Yorkshire town of Stradhoughton, based on Waterhouse’s home city of Leeds.

Billy still lives at home with his parents but he has his dreams, and they are not just of becoming a film star or winning the pools; instead he has invented a whole country. Back in the real world, however, he is less successful and has ended up engaged to two girls simultaneously – frumpy, orange-eating Barbara and common-as-muck Rita – and is now sharing one engagement ring between them.

When Liz, the one girl for whom he really cares, returns from London, Billy’s lies all start to catch him up and it is time to think fast or finally face up to the truth.

“Billy is arrogant, lazy and selfish, yet he emits an air of sadness at the lack of direction his life has taken”, says Alex. “He chooses to lie, embellish and fantasise, as opposed to facing the reality of his situation. This naturally gets him into trouble, especially as the story unfolds.”

Just as Billy creates characters, so 21-year-old Alex has made his mark in a series of principal roles for York Stage Musicals, New Earswick Musical Society and Upstage Centre Youth Theatre, most recently his startling turn as the troubled Moritz in the Yorkshire premiere of Spring Awakening last November. He will be joined in Robert Readman’s cast by Juliet Waters and Steve Tearle as Billy’s parents; Sandy Nicholson as Billy’s grandma, Florence; Simon Brookshaw as his best friend, Arthur Crabtree; Claire Horsley as Barbara; Jessica Hardcastle as Rita; and Liz Nicholson as Liz.

“Billy Liar is a wonderfully funny play, a real snapshot of a lower middle-class household that has recently moved up in the world,” says Robert, who will combine his role as director with building the set, a semi-detached house complete with flying ducks on the wall.

“It’s been fascinating to go back to the original play having directed and appeared in two productions of the 1974 John Barry/Don Black musical version. The script reminds me of early episodes of Coronation Street – a rich northern concoction of ordinary life mixed with stand-up rows and music-hall gags.”

Billy Liar will run from February 23 to 26 at 7.30pm nightly plus a Saturday matinee at 2.30pm. Tickets are on sale at £8 to £11 on 01904 623568 or online at yorktheatreroyal.co.uk

Billy Liar replaces the previously planned February production by York Stage Musicals: the Yorkshire premiere of The Drowsy Chaperone.