FOUR actors, 28 characters, the sums don’t quite add up. But then that’s half the fun of Giles Havergal’s fast-paced comic staging of Graham Greene’s Travels with my Aunt, which arrives at the Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch next Friday.

With some swift costume changes and clever staging, the cast of four tells the story of dull bank manager Henry Pulling, who finds himself embroiled in a world of crime, intrigue and espionage when quirky Aunt Augusta takes him on an adventure around the world.

Speaking about his roles, Brentwood actor Elliot Harper laughs: “One of the characters I play is a pot smoking 18-year-old hippie, who is also female. I have an attachable mini skirt and a blonde wig.”

As for the show, he continues: “The novel has epic landscapes, with train journeys and exotic locations and we are creating much more than you would necessarily think possible, with just four actors, a few chairs and a couple of tables. It should be quite interesting.”

Travels with my Aunt runs at the Queen’s Theatre, Billet Lane, Hornchurch, from February 5-27. Tickets: 01708 443333, www.queens-theatre.co.uk