Orchestral role for Pirates star Crook

Crook, 40, who shot to fame as nerdy manager Gareth in The Office, will perform with the Aurora Orchestra from the stage of the Royal Festival Hall over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend.

The British actor follows in the footsteps of David Bowie, Sir Sean Connery and Dame Edna Everage, who have all performed or recorded the narrator role.

Crook, who has just had his debut children’s novel nominated for a book award, said: “Peter and the Wolf was my favourite piece of music when I was a child and narrating this will bring back a lot of memories.

“I have always thought that Prokofiev’s idea of matching instruments and characters is pure genius and I am thrilled to be part of this.”

Gillian Moore, Southbank Centre’s head of classical music, said: “Peter and the Wolf is a miniature masterpiece which has the power to be reinvented with every generation.”

Crook – Ragetti in the Pirates of the Caribbean films – will be narrating a script which incorporates specially-commissioned poetry from Simon Armitage.

The Southbank Centre will also be showing the Oscar-winning animated 2006 film Peter and the Wolf.