Image: Photo of Mark Evans, writer of Bleak Expectations.

Period-drama pastiche Bleak Expectations began life in 2007 as a series of plays on BBC Radio 4. Written by Mark Evans, the show upends Dickensian-style tales with heavy winks and puns aplenty, imagining the kind of tale the 19th century author might have written after one too many drinks. “No-one needs to actually know any Dickens to come and enjoy the show,” assures Evans. “It’s essentially a big, joke and emotion filled story that’s a lot of fun for everyone.”

Directed by Caroline Leslie, Bleak Expectations now heads to the Criterion Theatre, after a run at the Watermill Theatre. A brilliant lineup of stage and comedy stars will take on the role of our protagonist, the inventor Sir Philip ‘Pip’ Bin, including Adjoa Andoh, Stephen Fry and Tom Allen. As the show heads to the West End, Evans tells Run Riot about the seriousness of writing something silly.

Kate Wyver: How does it feel to be bringing Bleak Expectations to the West End?

Mark Evans: It’s a strange combination of excitement and mild terror. But isn’t that true of most fun and good things in life? I just hope excitement wins out in the long term.

Kate: What's your relationship with Dickens? When did you first consider toying with his style?

Mark: My relationship with Dickens has evolved over the years. From schoolboy denier to reluctant I-suppose-I-ought-to reader in my 20s and then to full on blimey-he’s-actually-rather-excellent fan from my mid 30s onwards. But as soon as I became a fan I thought ‘hmm, what about this but silly?’ Sorry, Charlie boy!

Kate: What have been the biggest surprises or challenges in moving this show from the radio to the stage?

Mark: Each radio series is about three hours of material, and getting that into a two hour show was quite a challenge. Plus I obviously couldn’t just rely on the all-verbal jokes from the radio. But I think I’ve come up with something that belts along story-wise and is crammed with jokes of all shapes and sizes. The biggest (and nicest) surprise was finding I still had new angles on the material.

Kate: The show taps into something that really tickles British audiences. What do you think it is about this type of parody that they enjoy?

Mark: I think it’s because deep-down everyone in Britain somehow knows Dickens and/or the 19th century on a weird, almost genetic level. Plus, we’ve all seen a lot of costume dramas, many of which can take themselves quite seriously, so watching a ridiculous version of the same thing can be rather refreshing.

Kate: You’ve got an incredible line-up of guest stars. How did you pick them (and is there one you’re secretly most excited for)?

Mark: There was a huge wish-list of lovely performers we all thought were great, and then it was a matter of finding out which of them wanted to do it but also had the time for it. I’m genuinely excited about all of them… but if you’re forcing me to pick one, it has to be Tom Allen, who played young Pip on the radio. Him coming back as a mega-star to play the older version of his radio self makes me feel warm inside.

Kate: What’s the most joyous part of creating theatre that celebrates silliness?

Mark: Actually, writing silliness can be quite a serious business (I’m often to be found pacing around muttering ‘it’s not funny yet’ to myself), but then rehearsals add the fun of actors and getting it on stage. And finally — with luck! — you get the joy of an audience laughing at what you’ve done. Because don’t people deserve to laugh after the past few years we’ve had?

Kate: Which Dickens character would you most like to go to dinner with?

Mark: I’m going to say Mr Samuel Pickwick. An extremely jolly, pleasant man who revels in discovering things and sharing them with others. He’d be great company - though I’d probably have to eat quickly to stop him pinching my food.

Bleak Expectations from 3 May at the Criterion Theatre bleakexpectations.com