The production, which premiered at the tiny Gate Theatre in 2005, will have to expand to take in the National's huge Oliver stage, where it will open Aug. 28, following previews from Aug. 22.

Paterson Joseph will reprise his performance in the tile role, an ex-con who connives himself into the position of dictator on a remote West Indian island. A people's revolt chases him into the forest where the hallucinating and delusional fugitive is tricked into using up his bullets.

Joseph was last seen at the National in The Royal Hunt of the Sun and Elmina's Kitchen and is also cast in the National's forthcoming production of St. Joan.

The National's season also features The Five Wives of Maurice Pinder (beginning June 13), a new play by Matt Charman about married life; Shaw's St. Joan (beginning July 4), starring Anne Marie Duff in the title role; Ian Rickson's production of Pinter's The Hothouse (beginning July 11); and an adaptation of Victoria Benedictsson's 19th-century Swedish novel The Enchantment (beginning July 24) by Clare Bayley.

For more on the National's 2007 season, call (0)20 7452 3000.