THIS year the Old Laundry celebrates 25 years of bringing top quality entertainment under its Bowness roof.

To tie in with the 2017 Bowness Theatre Festival directors, Roger and Charlotte Scott, are going for something really special - By Jeeves, written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Alan Ayckbourn.

Running at the Old Laundry from Friday, October 6 until November 4, the light-hearted, fun musical, is set in the 1920s and retains the dottiness of the original PJ Wodehouse stories.

Playing the wonderfully supercilious butler Jeeves, renowned for his deadpan digs, is Bill Champion, a popular figure in many a Alan Ayckbourn production.

As for the unshakeably good humoured and generous Bertie Wooster, he will be played by Nadim Naaman, who has barely got his breath back from starring as Raoul in The Phantom of The Opera at Her Majesty’s Theatre, London.

Nadim says appearing in Phantom was a career highlight.

"I spent two years in the company, and had a wonderful time, particularly working in the rehearsal room with the likes of Andrew Lloyd Webber, Hal Prince and Gillian Lynne. The show’s 30th anniversary fell in the midst of my time there, which was a real privilege to be a part of. To be in the cast of something so iconic, which is full every night and known world over, is not something that we get to experience very often in our profession, so I tried to enjoy every moment of it."

Nadim explains that he was on holiday when By Jeeves was first mentioned.

"An email came through from my agent. I was intrigued and opened it to read a very detailed breakdown of By Jeeves and the role of Bertie Wooster. I read the whole script, and by page four, I knew that this was something I really wanted to do. The opportunity to play such an iconic character was extremely exciting.

"The real draw, though, was the opportunity to work with a British theatre legend in Sir Alan Ayckbourn. I auditioned a week later, and after a fun and thorough session with the creative team, received a phone call offering me the role. I was thrilled."

Born and raised in London, Nadim's mum is British, and his dad Lebanese.

He first got into performing while at school: "I had a magnificent drama teacher called Simon Dormandy. He was the man who told me that I could do this professionally. He even took my parents to one side one night after a school production, and told them that if I wanted to act that they should believe in me and support me; he thought I could make it."

Nadim went on to study musical theatre at the Royal Academy of Music. Along the way were performances with Rod Stewart and Elton John: "I was offered a job as a backing singer for Rod Stewart at Twickenham Stadium via my singer teacher, which was a stroke of fortune, as a tenor had to drop out at the last minute. It was my first experience of an event of that scale."

Two days later came the call to join the backing choir for Elton John at Wembley: "It was the Princess Diana memorial concert, organised by William and Harry. Elton John is on the board of the Royal Academy, and often invites students to participate in his gigs. We were treated so well - he even gave each of us an iPod to say thank you."

As well as having a great voice Nadim plays piano and guitar and writes his own material.

Last summer, his second album Sides - a 50/50 mix of his own tunes and covers of musical theatre songs - reached top spot in the iTunes Vocal Chart. For a couple of days the album sat above the likes of Tom Jones and the Mamma Mia! soundtrack. "That was beyond surreal," says Nadim. "Ultimately, I’d like to write some musicals. It makes sense to to combine the songwriting with the genre that I have the most experience in."

For now though, all his energy will go into By Jeeves and playing Bertie Wooster as Wooster and Jeeves continually and hilariously swap identities, battling to salvage love and cover up embarrassing errors, causing confusion and mayhem galore.

"I'd heard of the Old Laundry and its association with the likes of Sir Alan Ayckbourn and Griff Rhys Jones, but I hadn’t worked there, or visited. I've been to Cumbria a few times, as my first agent had a beautiful home in Penrith, but I’ve not been a tourist as such, on and around the Lakes. I’m really looking forward to that experience. Having spent the last few years working in inner cities, this will be a treat."

For By Jeeves tickets, performance times and further information on the Bowness Theatre Festival telephone the box office on 015394-40872.