Samuel Adamson's adaptation of the Oscar-winning movie by Spanish film director Pedro Almodóvar will officially open on Sept. 4 following previews that begin Aug. 25.

Gatiss is best known as one of the "League of Gentlemen," the surreal television comedy. His stage credits include Art, in which he appeared alongside fellow "Gentlemen" Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton; on July 10 the latter replaces Bob Martin in the London production of The Drowsy Chaperone.

In All About My Mother Gatiss will play Agrado, the transvestite friend of Manville's mourning Manuela who, following the tragic death of her beloved teenage son Esteban (Colin Morgan), travels to Barcelona in search of the father she never knew. But before she can exorcise her guilt, she gets caught up in the lives of three women; Agrado, Sister Rosa (Joanne Froggatt), a young nun in search of love, and Huma Rojo (Rigg), the famous actress her son so admired. Just as Manuela's life begins to have meaning again, her son's father returns and her journey of discovery and forgiveness comes full circle.

The production sees Rigg return to the Old Vic stage where, as part of Laurence Olivier's National Theatre Company in the seventies, her credits included The Misanthrope, Macbeth and Jumpers. More recently, Rigg's Medea won a Best Actress Tony Award, while other acclaimed performances include Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Humble Boy, Suddenly Last Last Summer and Honour.

Often cast by Mike Leigh in his films, Manville's stage credits include His Dark Materials, Pillars of the Community and The Alchemist, all for the National. For more on All About My Mother, call (0)870 060 6628.