What’s On
The Revival
A Ghost Play
Directed by Carol Caine and Paul Sylvester
James Cawood’s play is a chilling ghost story full of shocks, twists and gothic atmosphere.
The cast of Lucian O’Keefe’s 1946 ghost play Scared to Death are gathered and ready for their final dress rehearsal before opening night.
But all is not going smoothly.
Actors bicker, lines aren’t sinking in, the director is edging towards a breakdown, but the ghostly events in the play are encroaching on their real world.
The rumours of the real plays curse start to strike fear in the cast and they find themselves caught up in an all too real spine tingling and terrifying ghost story.
Intent To Murder
by Leslie Sands
Directed by Dennis Yardley
Within minutes of the opening of this play, we are plunged into the middle of an explosive situation.
Janet Preston, a well-known authoress who lives alone in a remote cottage on the Yorkshire Moors, has killed her husband, a complete rogue and criminal on the run. Before she can get rid of the body, she is confronted by his accomplice George, who blackmails her into agreeing to pass him off as the dead man until such time as he can make a getaway.
The events that follow are full of twists and excitement and the unexpected denouement skilfully reconciles the audience’s sympathies and sense of involvement with a demand for justice.
The Weird Will Of Willy Williams
by David Tristram
Directed by Janet Dawson
The late William Harold Williams – former plumber and keen amateur thespian – had occasionally been known to be a tad eccentric. So when his only surviving relatives, Tim and Jacky, attended the reading of his will, they may well have expected the odd surprise here and there.
But what they didn’t expect was to find themselves suddenly entangled in a twisting drama worthy of its own Netflix series.
With feuding rivals and murderous games afoot, things were about to get very weird.
But beware. When huge fortunes are at stake, it’s not always sensible to believe the evidence of your own eyes…
When David Came To Preston
by Richard Catmore
Directed By Richard Catmore
[Some of this is true…]
‘He’s naked Mr Hibbert, He’s 17 feet of naked man. Is Preston quite ready for him..?’
It’s October 1893 and Preston’s architectural jewel, The Harris Museum, Art Gallery and Preston Free Library, is about to be opened in a grand ceremony attended by Royalty and civic dignitaries.
But not without controversy, for one of the museum’s first acquisitions is a full sized replica statue of Michelangelo’s ’David’.
Based on at least some research and lots of invention, ‘When David Came to Preston’ is a partially true, fast paced, sharply comedic account of how it got there, where it went, and why it mattered to the national press of the day.
It’s also a warm hearted story about a girl who can draw and a man who wants to help…
Waiting For God
by Michael Aitkens
Directed by Susan Spencer
All the favourite characters from the original series are reimagined for 2017, facing the challenges that come with growing old disgracefully in the era of the silver surfer.
At Bayview Retirement Village, battle-axe extraordinaire Diana Trent conspires with new resident Tom Ballard to give the conniving manager his comeuppance through a hilarious conspiracy with unexpectedly heart-warming results.
Death By Fatal Murder
by Peter Gordon
Directed by Susan Spencer
Inspector Pratt’s crime detection record at Bagshot House is not enviable. In his previous two visits, the body count mounted dramatically while he looked on, helpless and hopeless!
And now he’s back!
In this new investigation, Pratt meets the new owner of Bagshot House, Nancy Allwright, and aided and abetted by Miss Maple and Constable Thomkins, he is soon entangled in more mystery. Danger soon looms with a startling arrival, an unexpected twist and frightening revelations!
Chaos reigns supreme!
All My Sons
By Arthur Miller
Directed by Christine Odlum
America, 1947. Three years on from the disappearance of his son, successful businessman Joe Keller has made a comfortable life for his family in America’s Midwest.
Despite being accused of supplying defective aircraft equipment in the Second World War, Joe and Kate Keller are a success story. They have built a home, raised two sons and established a thriving business.
But nothing lasts forever, and long buried truths are forced to the surface and the price of their American dream is laid bare.
Miller’s first successful play on Broadway, All My Sons launched his career and established him as one of America’s greatest dramatists.
An incisive indictment of greed, capitalism and self-interest, this play is remembered as one of the playwright’s greatest works.
This amateur production is presented by arrangement with Music Theatre International on behalf of Josef Weinberger Ltd.
Doors Open 6:45pm
Something To Hide
By Leslie Sands
Directed by Dennis Yardley
Set in the country getaway home of successful novelist Howard Holt, who is visited each weekend by his wife and publisher Karen.
Karen arrives unexpectedly, late one evening. She is distraught having apparently killed a young woman by driving over her in the darkness, in the lane outside. Howard agrees to help her dispose of the body.
Thereafter, begins a sequence of events in which one unexpected turn follows another, as a seemingly gullible police inspector appears to accept the story cooked up by Howard and his wife.
This amateur production is presented by arrangement with Music Theatre International on behalf of Josef Weinberger Ltd.
Doors Open 6:45pm
The Haunting
By Hugh Janes and Charles Dickens.
Directed by Carol Caine and Paul Sylvester.
The Haunting is a spine-chilling, traditional ghost story, with unexpected twists, turns, thrills and revelations.
The play, by Hugh Janes has been adapted from several original ghost stories written by Charles Dickens.
It tells the story of a young book dealer, employed to catalogue a library of rare books. A series of strange and unexplained events conspire to keep him from his work. His employer, however, is sceptical about the strange phenomena the book dealer is experiencing, but assists him to discover the source of the terrifying events…..
An amateur production by arrangement with Nick Hern Books
Doors Open 6:45pm
When We Are Married
By J.B Priestley
Directed By Stella Judson
Three couples, pillars of Clecklewhyke society, are lavishly celebrating their milestone 25th wedding anniversary when they are shocked to learn that after all these 25 years together, they have never actually been legally married.
Unfortunately, the drunken photographer and the reporter from the local newspaper have turned up to record their grand occasion for posterity. But if the news gets out the scandal will ruin them.
The obvious solution is to get married again, legally this time, quickly and quietly, but . . . Is a re-run of their last 25 years together what they really want? Or is this their great opportunity to leave the past, and each other, behind? And, in the light of what they have experienced, to re-write their future and live a little?
What would you do?
JB Priestley takes a humorous look at time in this, his ‘farcical comedy’ about love and marriage.
Audience members are advised that the play is of its time, and reflects early 20th century attitudes to relationships and domestic violence
Doors Open 6:45pm
Third Finger Left Hand
Third Finger, Left Hand
The UK Amateur Premiere By Dermot Canavan
The Farndale Macbeth
A Comedy by William Shakespeare, David McGillivray and Walter Zerlin Jr.
