Courtenay writes one-man show to reveal the human side of curmudgeonly Larkin

The poetry, politics and rivalries of Philip Larkin are to be brought to life by the actor Tom Courtenay in his first piece of writing for the stage.

Courtenay is devising the one-man show, Pretending to be Me, for the West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds, from Larkin's diaries, letters and interviews, as well as his poetry.

Larkin has been vilified for his views on ethnic minorities, women and the unemployed, which were brought into the public domain by letters published after his death in 1985.

But Courtenay's play is set to offer an alternative view of the poet. Sources close to the project say that it is "an affectionate tribute" to Larkin, who spent the bulk of his working life as a librarian in Hull, the city of Courtenay's birth.

Ian Brown, the recently appointed artistic director of the West Yorkshire Playhouse, said that Courtenay had been introduced to the poetry of Larkin only in recent years. "It struck a chord," he said.

"The piece he's written brings out Larkin's humanity, which, because he appeared to be curmudgeonly, is often lost. When you do look at the poetry, there is a tremendous sense of feeling and insight into the human condition."

Courtenay's show, to open on 28 November, portrays Larkin as he muses while unpacking after moving into his final home in Hull. "There's quite a lot of insight into his parents, jealousies, rivalries and political views," Mr Brown said.

"But some of his more right-wing views are balanced by his hatred of things like fox-hunting. You see a more complicated figure than being left-wing or right-wing. But you do see some of the side you saw in letters to people like Kingsley Amis – quite wicked."

Larkin's complicated love life will remain largely untouched. That will be covered instead in Larkin with Women, a separate play by Ben Brown that will precede Courtenay's.

Pretending to be Me will be Courtenay's first appearance at the West Yorkshire Playhouse. He has regularly performed at the Manchester Royal Exchange and was in the original production of the West End hit Art. But he is best-known for films such as Billy Liar and Dr Zhivago.