JASON Thorpe will be stepping into the shoes of the eponymous butler Jeeves when Jeeves and Wooster comes to Malvern - and they are big shoes to fill.

There are the much-loved books by PG Wodehouse, the infamous television portrayal by Stephen Fry and Matthew Macfadyen's original performance of Jeeves in the stage version of Perfect Nonsense .

But Jason admits he came to the role "fresh" having never read the books or watched the television show.

"I would like to say I have because then I would sound like a very dutiful actor but I have not read any of the books and the television series passed me by but of course I had heard of Wodehouse.

"I can appreciate it with a fresh pair of eyes and I suppose I was "untainted" by previous performances when I got the script.

"Sean [Foley - director] directed me before in the West End show What the Butler Saw and he asked me if I wanted to take up the role and I remember him his words were "It's a great actors' show" meaning that you get a lot of reward from being in it and you get a lot back from it.

"I will be reading some after the tour though - but I think I have my fill of Jeeves and Wooster at the moment!"

He said audiences were split between people who were diehard Wodehouse fans and those, like him, who were new to the text.

"I think we get a really good mix of people - a lot of younger people, teenagers and people in their 20s and 30s, then the diehard Wodehouse fans and I think they all come away with something.

"We have got slapstick and the show sticks closely to the story.

"It's very faithful though some parts have been lifted from other stories so it does cater for purists.

"It's a lovely mix along with the Vaudevillian comedy."

He is speaking from his digs in Chichester where a few changes have had to be made to the performance there to cater to the space.

Despite the adjustments, Jason is funny and relaxed during our chat - probably safe in the knowledge audience's feedback has been great with fans flooding Twitter with praise for the show as well as his and Robert Webb's performance as the duo.

"I had come across Robert before, out paths had crossed a couple of times though obviously Rob is a bit more famous than me.

"We appreciate each others' humour."

But touring and being a family man must be hard work - if he could have a loyal butler for the day which chore would he most like him to do?

He jokes: "I'd get him to do the cleaning. Sometimes when I come back from tour and, because I have a family, I look a the devastation and wonder what happens when I go away."

Jeeves and Wooster in Perfect Nonsense will be at Malvern Theatres from Monday, March 30 to Saturday, April 4.

For more information including times and tickets call 01684 892277 or malvern-theatres.co.uk.