Fry to make return to stage drama (From The Argus)

Fry to make return to stage drama

7:26pm Wednesday 15th February 2012 in National Entertainment News © Press Association 2011

Stephen Fry is to return to stage drama 17 years after he famously walked out of a West End production and fled the country.

The broadcaster has been cast in a production of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night at the Globe Theatre later this year.

He will play Malvolio opposite Mark Rylance, who will play Olivia, when the play opens for a three-week run on September 22.

Stephen abruptly left the West End run of Cell Mates - in which he was appearing opposite Rik Mayall - in 1995 and headed to Belgium. He has since explained the departure on bipolar disorder.

He has gone on to make some live stage appearances, including one-man spoken shows and hosting numerous events including Sunday's film Baftas, but has not done any lengthy drama runs.

Speaking of the time he went Awol, he has said: "That was play fright, not stage fright, it's a very different thing."

Stephen, also host of BBC panel show QI, has been seen in many screen dramas over the years, including his Golden Globe-nominated performance in Wilde.

He will soon be seen in BBC Dickensian comedy The Bleak Old Shop Of Stuff, following a Christmas special.