Finding inspiration for his latest comedic creation came easily to Ade Edmondson.

The former Comic Strip Presents star takes to the stage alongside Nigel Planer next week in Vulcan 7 at Richmond Theatre.

Edmondson plays former Hollywood A-lister Gary Savage who lands the bit-part role of a monster in a sci-fi movie.

After four hours in make-up, Gary is ready for the lights, cameras and action once again. The trouble is, he only has one word to say in the entire script.

It’s about as bit-part as it gets but it’s an experience Edmondson knows all too well.

“I once sat in costume for 19 hours only to be told I wasn’t needed. That was down to Peter Richardson (director),” he said ruefully.

Iceland provides the volatile backdrop to Vulcan 7 where former RADA students Gary and Hugh Delavois (Planer) are reunited on the set of a fantasy movie after wildly contrasting acting careers.

Gary has tasted the highs of Hollywood while Hugh has plodded along, seemingly content with a regular gig as Vulcan’s butler in the sci-fi franchise which has reached its seventh production.

Now in their 60s, the pair must work together again but lingering tensions bubble to the surface in explosive fashion.

Vulcan 7, which is currently on a nationwide tour, seems the perfect vehicle for Edmondson and Planer to reconnect and let their creative lava flow.

“We had not seen each other for a while and were mulling over a few ideas,” he said.

“We hid away in a trailer for a while to go through some scripts.

“For an actor, the instant measure of success is the size of your trailer. Some have a Winnebago, we had a rabbit hutch.

“We met every month or so in the trailer to run through ideas.

“I’ve worked on low budget TV and I’ve also appeared in Star Wars, so I’ve had wide-ranging experiences.

“Gary is an amalgam of all the British boys who have gone to LA aiming to be the next Peter O’Toole, Richard Harris or other great actors who’ve tried their luck in the States.

“Although they put on a front that everything is OK, deep down they’re really unhappy.”

Planer is the third writing partner Edmondson has been involved with and the 61-year-old says he gets a kick out of sharing his creativity with somebody on the same wavelength.

“Nigel’s my latest muse,” he said. “I enjoy writing in pairs. I like the speed of it.”

“I worked a lot with Rik Mayall of course (the pair wrote and starred in the hit comedy Bottom), and Nigel Smith with whom I wrote a show called Teenage Kicks. 

“This show has been three years in the making. It’s always evolving. It started off as a 20 minute thing and has just got bigger and bigger.

“We’ve even added an extra scene to the Richmond show, so audiences will see something that we didn’t have at the start of the tour.”

While sparks fly between Gary and Hugh, runner for the movie Leela (Lois Chimimba) has her hands full playing the peacemaker.

“Lois’s character is more connected with Gary and Hugh than anybody realises,” said Edmondson. “I won’t give too much away but the ending is bittersweet.”

He may be Yorkshire born, but the staging of the show in Richmond marks something of a homecoming for the versatile actor, talented musician and winner of Celebrity Masterchef 2013.

“I lived in Richmond for many years,” he reveals. “We used to go to the panto at the theatre every Christmas. It’s a lovely part of London.”

The former star of The Young Ones likes to keep himself entertained by conjuring up new creations to entertain others with Vulcan 7 being the latest in a string of projects he is involved with.

“I’ve written some books for children, the latest one was released in the summer,” he said. “I’ve also recently starred in a TV series called Bancroft.

“I enjoy acting. I am not sure why. I think it’s the simple process of being someone else.

“One never knows how much ‘healthy time’ they have left. I just want to do what I can, while I can. Besides, I am also absolutely desperate.”

Vulcan 7, Richmond Theatre, The Green, Richmond, TW9 1QJ, October 22 to 27. For times and prices visit atgtickets.com/venues/richmond-theatre.