Not content with suing the makers of the Oscar-nominated The Full Monty, the writers of Ladies' Night have a sequel to their stripping drama ready to hit York this spring.

Ladies' Night II, provocatively subtitled as Really Is The "Full Monty", is the latest show by New Zealanders Stephen Sinclair and Anthony McCarten.

The Grand Opera House has snapped up the strictly adults-only play for a run from May 19 to 23, much to the delight of general manager Ian Sime.

"The publicity surrounding the damages claim could not be better timed!" he said. "Ladies' Night has always gone down well in York and I'm sure the sequel will be just as popular, especially now that there's this added interest in the show."

On the day that the ballot papers for the Oscars were being posted to members of Hollywood's Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the duo behind Ladies' Night stole the headlines by submitting a 17-page law suit against The Full Monty's production company, Fox Searchlight, and the screenwriter and director, Simon Beaufoy and Peter Cattaneo.

Sinclair, 41, and McCarten, 37, have launched a £180 million damages case for plagiarism, claiming The Full Monty has ripped off their humorous story of unemployed men forming a striptease act.

Ladies' Night was written in 1987 and premiered in New Zealand before becoming a cult hit in Britain on its five tours between 1990 and 1996. The Full Monty, starring York actor Mark Addy and Ripon actor Hugo Speer, has grossed more than £120 million worldwide since last summer, becoming the surprise cinema hit of the decade. York theatregoers, meanwhile, can now look forward to Ladies' Night II "hysterically chronicling the adventures of guys who entertain girls with exotic, thrilling and comic dance routines".

Tickets for the 7.30pm performances are on sale at the Opera House box office, priced £6 to £12.50. To book, ring 01904 671818.

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