British actor Julian Sands will appear in Kingston for an evening of reminiscences about playwright Harold Pinter.

The actor, famous for Oceans 13, Leaving Las Vegas and the Naked Lunch, is bringing the show directly from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

The play is directed by John Malkovich, star of Con Air, Being John Malkovich and Transformers 3.

But he will not be coming to Kingston to personally oversee the play.

In 2005, Pinter was committed to reading a selection of his poems at a benefit for a women’s shelter at St Stephen Walbrook Church, London.

However, illness had impaired his speaking voice, and he asked Julian Sands to step in on the condition of spending time together, rehearsing the works.

He continued to read the Nobel laureate’s poems and prose, occasionally performing them at fundraising events.

The acclaimed playwright, famous the Birthday Party, the Homecoming and Betrayal, as well as his long, scripted pauses, died on Christmas Eve in 2008.

Now, under the direction of Oscar-nominated American actor John Malkovich, Mr Sands will represent the work as a celebration.

Former Monty Python member Eric Idle described the performance as “courageous, moving, and very funny.

“A wonderful evening, as Julian Sands tells the daunting tale of meeting Pinter and then reading his poems for him. This is a totally unexpected and delightful evening.”

Playwright David Hare said: “Julian Sands does wonders by reading Harold Pinter’s poems as if they were plays. His approach is the very opposite of po-faced and reverent, and the result is a revelation."

With reflections, commentaries and anecdotes drawn from their time together, Mr Sands opens the door between Pinter's poetry and theatre.

He said: "In these spare but complex works, there is an extraordinary revelation of subjective feeling - at once poignant, profound and often hilarious."

The celebration will take place on Sunday, September 11, at the Rose Theatre, with tickets costing £12 or £15. Call 08444 821 556 or visit rosetheatrekingston.org