Gaslights go head to head

The Drowsy Chaperone which starred Elaine Paige in the successful West End run.

This is a fun show, full of witty one-liners, clever comedy routines and all the glamour and glitz of the golden age of Broadway musicals and which will magically it will magically transport audiences to a world of glamour, wit & toe-tapping, delights.

A slightly eccentric musical theatre fan sits at home listening to his favourite show recording of the 1928 musical The Drowsy Chaperone.

As he listens, he tells the audience the story, explains the characters and gives them the history of the actors who played them whilst the characters magically appear in his apartment and perform the musical numbers and comedy routines from the show.

This production features Stephen Hughes-Alty, fresh from his acclaimed role as Abanazer in the SDC pantomime Aladdin, Lauren Murphy, John Delahunty, Chris Rimmer, June Wilson, Nicki Williams and John Coates.

The show runs from Tuesday, 18 February to Saturday, 22 February at Greenbank Theatre, Greenbank High School Southport. For tickets please call (07927) 331977

One of the most popular stage plays of the last century is Gaslight which has rarely been out of production since Patrick Hamilton wrote it in 1938.

Set in the London home of Bella and Jack Manningham, Gaslight is a classic Victorian thriller full of atmosphere.

Bella is slowly convinced she is going mad, signaled by the lights in the home constantly dimming but, unbeknown to her, Jack has his own sinister plan, and then we discover a woman was murdered in the room above.

Enter Detective Inspector Rough and a deadly game of cat and mouse is entered upon.

This play is full of atmosphere, suspense and drama, ideal entertainment for a cold, dark February night.

By coincidence, two local societies are staging this play around the same time.

For Penwortham St Mary’s Amateur Dramatic Society, the play also holds special significance as it was the first production they ever staged and so it marks the perfect start to their 70th anniversary year.

Their production at St Mary’s Church Hall, Cop Lane, Penwortham is playing on Tuesday, February 18, Thursday-Saturday February 20-22.

Tickets are £5.50; Concessions £5. Booking Office 0370 770 5945.

St Ambrose Players at St Ambrose Church Hall, Moss Lane, Leyland are putting on Gaslight from Wednesday-Saturday February 19-22nd Feb at 7.30pm. Tickets £6; Concessions £5.

The NODA NW District 2 Awards were held at Blackpool’s De Vere Village Herons Reach hotel on Saturday, January 25, the amateur theatre equivalent of the Oscars for NODA’s District 2 which covers the Fylde, Preston and Isle of Man. Lesley Southworth of Broughton Club Players won the Best Actress Award for her role as Glad in their last production Player’s Angels.

The Best Male Actor Award went jointly to Peter Taylor of the Fylde Coast Players and Glyn Moreton from Centenary Players for his part in On Golden Pond whilst The Fylde Coast Players won the Best Play of 2013 for their production of The Dresser.