A stage production starring Matthew Kelly which premiered at York's Theatre Royal is heading to America as part of the Brits Off Broadway festival.

Alan Bennett’s comedy The Habit of Art, first co-produced between the Original Theatre Company and York Theatre Royal in 2018, is one of eight productions featured in 59E59 Theaters' annual celebration of theatre from the UK.

The production begins its second UK tour in March ahead of the US dates from May 29 to June 28 in one of 59E59 Theaters' three off-Broadway spaces. It previously toured the UK in the autumn of 2018. The play imagines a meeting between two friends, the poet W.H. Auden and the composer Benjamin Britten. Most of the original cast are in the latest production including Matthew Kelly, David Yelland and Yorkshire actor Benjamin Chandler, who made his York Theatre Royal debut in the production.

“I have done Brits on Broadway before in Richard Bean’s play Toast which is very different to The Habit of Art. But Americans are going to love Alan Bennett because they think they are going to see something very British," Kelly said.

Director Philip Franks added: “New York is the most wonderful city but there’s a huge challenge because it’s such an English play. I hope very much audiences will respond.”

Stephen Lewis