LIKE watching your eccentric English teacher get drunk in class and teach The Bard, Shakespeare: The Man From Stratford is part history lesson, part biography and part literary guide.

After the success of his one man show The Mystery of Charles Dickens, larger than life Simon Callow is back, hoping to do for Shakespeare what he previously did for the great 19th century novelist.

The premise of the show, coming to The Churchill in Bromley next month, is a sound one on paper.

We all know Shakespeare’s plays, but little is actually known about the man himself. So, lets put on a show which tracks down the real Will and brings to life the man and his plays.

Ooh and lets just make it a man show — it’s a recession after all — and I know the perfect actor to do the job. Simon Callow. Er, you know, that guy from Four Weddings and a Funeral. He’s the one who dies.

And isn’t he a dab hand at historical drama anyway? Perfect. Sold. Sign him up.

The result isn’t perfect but nor is it the tiresome bore it could have been if the irresistibly charming Callow hadn’t been on board.

Structured around Shakespeare’s Seven Ages of Man, he takes us on a journey from beloved son of a Stratford glove maker, through to his time as a theatre stable boy and extra, to being a renowned, wealthy playwright buried ignobly in a Midlands churchyard.

Punctuating the show are quotations from The Bard’s works and Callow effortlessly morphs into character throughout, from Brutus to Romeo to Bottom from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, confidently reciting some of Shakespeare’s most memorable, powerful and beautiful verses.

The sign of a true thespian is how much spit the front row are drenched in by curtain call and Callow certainly fulfils the stereotype of a classical actor, raining down saliva with every word beginning with P and F.

That and his dramatic hand gestures and arm waving would be considered hammy in any other actor, but Callow’s likable personality means his performance is captivating, rather than cloying.

The simple but effective set, with only a globe, a few books, a fire, a wooden sword and a mechanical toy dog, allows Callow to tell the story without irritating distractions.

And some snazzy sound and lighting effects add gravitas to the proceedings.

However, despite a script by the Shakespeare biographer Jonathan Bate, the play is incoherent and confusing at times, with the poetry linked to moods rather than events, leaving you scratching your head with confusion at times and losing track of the story at hand.

Nevertheless, the show is a fascinating and entertaining tour-de-force of one of history’s greatest literary figures.

Just bring a rain coat if you’re sitting near the front.

Shakespeare: The Man From Stratford. The Churchill Theatre, High Street, Bromley.

September 28 to October 2. For tickets, call 0844 871 7620.