WRITTEN in 1860, but reclaimed for a contemporary audience in this vibrant new stage adaptation, this classic tale of the orphaned Pip's journey from childhood to becoming a gentleman lays bare the tissue of lies and guilt in Dickens' least sentimental love story.

Declan Donnellan and Nick Omerod are joint founders of the internationally acclaimed Cheek by Jowl whose 2004 production of Othello toured five continents before a run at the Riverside Studios, London.

Other recent productions include The Mandate for the National Theatre and Romeo and Juliet with the Bolshoi Ballet.

Declan Donnellan's best-selling book The Actor and the Target has been published around the world.

Their productions for the RSC include The School for Scandel (1999) and the RSC Academy production of King Lear in 2002.

Directly after Great Expectations they start work on the innovative three year Cheek by Jowl season at The Barbican which opens in June 2006 with The Changeling from their UK company and Twelfth Night from the Russian company which will also perform as part of the RSC's Complete Works Festival in 2006/7.

Mark Wells plays the orphaned Pip. Mark graduated from RADA in 2002 and has since had roles in Hamburg (Southwark), Games People Play (Edinburgh Festival) and Hamley (Los Angeles) as well as recently playing Romeo in Romeo and Juliet (Nuffield, Southampton).

Sian Phillips makes her Stratford debut at the RSC as Miss Havisham after previous performances at the Aldwych Theatre for the company in 1960 in The Duchess of Malfi (Julia) and as Bertha in Ondine in 1961.

Her long and varied career spans television, film and radio as well as theatre, most recently including The Dark (Donmar, 2004).

Neve McIntosh also makes her RST debut as the beautiful but dangerous Estella. Neve last performed at the RSC playing the title role of Victoria in David Greig's play in The Pit Theatre London in 2000. She is probably best known for her role as the dysfunctional Fuchsia Groan in BBC TV's Ghormanghast (1999).

Great Expectations runs from November 25 to February 4, 2006 at the RST, Stratford.