Frinton Summer Theatre Information

THE TURN OF THE SCREW
By Henry James, adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher

A young governess journeys to a lonely English manor house to care for two recently orphaned children. But she is not their first governess. Her predecessor, Miss Jessel drowned herself in mysterious circumstances, and her death was soon followed by that of the sinister valet, Quint. Now the children seem to be haunted by the dead and are concealing the truth of their relationship to the deceased, and the governess must investigate. But is the haunting real, or is it the governess herself who is to blame? Tense, dramatic and laced with mystery, this exciting version of a classic ghost story will star Laura Wells and Philip Benjamin. Opens 12th July.

THE STAR-SPANGLED GIRL
By Neil Simon

Andy and Norman are two young idealists, running a "protest"  magazine from their apartment in San Francisco. But when Sophie an Olympic swimmer and All-American girl from the Southern States arrives, their lives are turned upside down! Norman falls for her in a big way and begins to woo her with a determined madness. But as she is engaged to a American Marines Lieutenant, she rejects his advances and takes a dim view of their politics. When she starts to fall in love with Andy, the sparks begin to fly, and the situation becomes comically fraught! Love and Politics don't mix well, so which will triumph? One of Simon's most endearing and witty comedies, filled with his warmth, humanity and razor-sharp wit. Opens 20th  July

THE END OF THE LINE
By Patrick Marlowe

Roger and Denise arrive at their beach hut for the first break of the year. To him, it is a haven of secluded delights, plus an opportunity to exercise his practical skills in DIY and Interior Design. To her it is lonely, too far from the shops and falling to bits.
As they bicker over old arguments Don and Michelle arrive in Don's large and noisy 4X4 to set up their newly acquired hut for the

first of their summer breaks. Whilst Don plays fast and loose with Roger's gas bottle and plastic chairs Denise makes all sorts of assumptions about Don's companion. Michelle, with dramatically destructive consequences, in more ways tha one! Sharp, observant and extremely funny, Patrick's first comedy for Frinton is bound to appeal to anyone who has spent any time at the beach!   Opens 25th  July

DANGEROUS OBSESSION
By N J Crisp

Mark and Sarah Driscoll live a comfortable and privileged life together. One summer's afternoon, John Barrett walks into this life like a double-glazing salesman and proceeds to gently strip away the lies and deception at the heart of their relationship. He appears simple and ordinary, but carries with him a shattering secret. He is "Dangerously Obsessed" with finding out the truth behind the death of his wife, and is convinced that Mark and Sally can help him in his search for this truth - an assumption that neither of them welcome! By the end of the afternoon, the search is over - but the secret is not what Mark and Sally have come to expect at all! Opens 2 August.

ROLEPLAY
By Alan Ayckbourn

Justin and Julie-Ann both work in computers and are hopelessly mismatched in love. In Justin's Docklands flat, against the backdrop of the worst storm in living memory, they are preparing a dinner party at which they hope to introduce their parents to each other. Justin's mother is an upper-crust Surrey woman with a drink problem and a rally-driving boyfriend called Olaf; Julie-Ann' s are a bigoted Yorkshire garden centre magnate and his prim wife. In drops a lap-dancer with suicidal tendencies and an ex-boxer who has gone into security. Stand back and watch the results as the wonderful Mr Ayckbourn weaves his customary magic with situation and razor-zharp observation! Opens 9th August.

BILLY BISHOP GOES TO WAR
By John Gray with Eric Petersen

In Canada in 1915, a callow youth called Billy Bishop, a crack shot with a taste for whiskey and an eye for the ladies, joined up to go to war in Europe. As he bungled his way to the Western Front, he became caught up in both the High Society of London and the birth pangs of modern air warfare. Soon, despite himself, he finds himself at the cutting edge of the war, and starts to change into the hero that history records him as being. We meet his comrades, his enemies, the gallery of characters that he meets on his way, and finally the terror and elation of combat and death in the air over France and Flanders. Told in words and song, this wonderful play celebrates the life and courage not only of Billy, but also of all those that fought and lost their lives in the Great War. Opens 16th  August.

PLAYING AWAY
By Chris Sykes

Elisabeth is at the centre of a love triangle. A successful estate agent, she works three days a week in Paris and returns to London for Thursday, Friday and Le Weekend. She has a boyfriend in London (Roger Rodgers, recently ex-BBC football commentator and burgeoning hotel/restaurant owner) and a lover in Paris (Pierre lapin, enigmatic goal-scorer, coach and Bistro patron). And that is the way she likes it - English domesticity balanced by French passion. But can she go on having her Gateaux and eating it? Or is she getting to be plusiers des pommes bref d'un picnique?  Opens 23th August.