A journalist is set to star as himself in a play about a feature he wrote.

Mike Lockley will tread the boards after a playwright was inspired by a piece he produced for Birmingham’s Sunday Mercury.

Mike’s feature ‘Fu Manchu was a Brummie’ chronicled the career of Birmingham author Sax Rohmer and the prejudices England’s growing Chinese population faced after he created the character of evil criminal mastermind Fu Manchu.

The article prompted writer Ian Henery to pen a play chronicling the struggles faced by the first wave of Chinese immigrants to settle in the city.

The plot of ‘Coming to Birmingham: Making of a Modern City’ sees two Chinese families, enraged by the Mercury’s article, confront Sax Rohmer.

Mike will play himself in an open-air performance of the play to be staged at Birmingham’s Cannon Hill Park on 25 June.

Explaining why he created the play, Mr Henery told the Mercury: “Even the clothes Fu Manchu wore were women’s garments. Yet Rohmer, too, was an immigrant – his family came from Ireland.

“He created the stereotype that sparked films and books. The words in your piece are powerful. It is not only an excellent headline but great resource material.”

Speaking to HTFP about his forthcoming stardom, Mike said: “[I’m] just pondering how to play ‘me’, to be honest. I’m leaning towards Brando in Apocalypse Now.

“Bit nervous, but, on a positive note, I’ve played me for 64 years, so if anyone can pull it off…”