Ian Kelsey takes on starring role as Andy Dufresne in The Shawshank Redemption

In celebration of the iconic fllm’s 21st anniversary, The Shawshank Redemption has been adapted for the stage and the first stop of the UK-wide tour is Windsor.

Based on the 1982 novella, Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, by Stephen King, the play examines desperation, injustice, friendship and hope behind the claustrophobic bars of a maximum security facility.

The 1994 feature film, regularly voted the number one all-time movie, starred Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman as and was nominated for seven Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Actor for Freeman.

Ian Kelsey, who previously starred in Doctors as Howard Bellamy, is taking on the role of Andy Dufresne, a banker who having been handed a double life sentence for the brutal murder of his wife and her lover, finds himself incarcerated in the notorious Shawshank penitentiary.

Even before auditioning for the role of Andy, Ian admits he was a huge fan of the film but had not read Stephen King’s novel, which it is based on.

“It is one of those films I enjoy watching,” he said.

“I read Stephen King’s short story when I got the part which is really good.

“It is through the eyes of Red, mainly through his diary entries.

“It’s short, only 100 pages or so but you get so much more from it than the film.”

There have been some changes to the production which differ from the film.

“Things are done in a different order, but that does not effect the story,” Ian added.

"In fact the play actually follows the events of the book.”

Despite being well known for his television appearances in programmes such as Emmerdale and Down to Earth, Ian has also starred in a number of West End productions, including Chicago and Grease.

“They are both so different,” Ian said.

“With theatre you are playing to a live audience and everything has got to be done right.

“Though I get enjoyment from both and I have been lucky enough to have been able to balance them both quite well."

Unflinching in his protests of innocence, Andy strikes up an unlikely friendship with the prison fixer Red, played by Andrew Robinson, who appeared in series 11 of BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing.

The pair have never worked together previously but Ian stated it was ‘really great’ to have been able to work with him.

The Shawshank Redemption is at the Theatre Royal Windsor from Tuesday, August 18 - Saturday, August 29