Actor Oliver Chris was understandably cock-a-hoop when he got a call from Sir Peter Hall telling him he had made it into his cast for the Rose Theatre’s new production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

And the news got even better – not only had he bagged the part of Bottom, but he would also be starring alongside Judi Dench.

Although Chris admits that, in the build-up to rehearsals, he was nervous at the prospect of acting alongside British theatre royalty, he says Dench, who is playing Titania, quickly integrated with the rest of the company.

“She is brilliant and, even more surprisingly, and slightly irritatingly, lives up to that reputation she has of being a delightful, kind and fabulous woman to work with,” he adds.

“She really is just one of the team – we have been to the pub with her and she even came to Nandos with a load of us. I never thought I’d see Dame Judi Dench tucking into some barbecue hot wings but there you go!”

Chris, who appeared in The Portrait of a Lady at the Rose in 2008, says that after his audition he was not confident that the role was his.

He explains: “When I left I thought my chances were all over but, a few days later, I got a call saying I had got the part and my arm nearly fell off in delight. I happened to fit in with Peter’s vision for this particular production.

“Often, Bottom is a middle-aged pompous ass but he wanted to experiment with a young and naïve Bottom and make an odd couple out of him and Titania.

“We have built this mismatched, ridiculous relationship between the pair and to be doing that with Judi, who is one of Britain’s finest actresses, is just unbelievable.”

Ever since Dench’s casting was announced, the excitement has been building at the Rose and around Kingston, with tickets selling fast. After last year’s Love’s Labour’s Lost, Dream is the Rose’s second home-grown Shakespeare production and Chris says the theatre is the perfect home for productions that stay faithful to the Bard’s texts.

He adds: “The Rose is a great twist on Shakespearean theatre – getting on the stage will be really exciting.”

A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Rose Theatre, Kingston, February 9 - March 20, visit rosetheatre kingston. org/home