HAVING gone back to Anglo-Saxon Britain for their spring production, Beowulf, the members of Lion and Unicorn Players in Petersfield are coming bang up to date with their autumn show.

Set in modern-day Paris, Ding Dong is a farce by Marc Camoletti, translated from the French by Tudor Gates.

Director is Eric Parker, who said: “Many years ago I had the pleasure of directing another of Camoletti’s plays – Boeing Boeing.

“I was going to try to explain the plot a little, but I gave up after about three lines. Needless to say, like any farce, it is ridiculously complex.”

Back to playing a couple are Kat Wootton and Ben Gander, who were ’married’ in Bedroom Farce onstage two years ago. They play Bernard and Jacqueline in Ding Dong. But Jacqueline has been cheating on Bernard, and Bernard has discovered her little secret...

Playing the lover, Robert Regnier, is Ryan Watts, whose first play with Lion and Unicorn was Beowulf. He was also in Petersfield Theatre Group’s (PTG) Pirates of Penzance.

An experimental archaeologist at Butser Ancient Farm, Ryan is enjoying the chance to wear modern clothing on stage for a change.

Playing his wife in Ding Dong is his real-life fiancee Emily Rees. The pair are planning their wedding for May 2016. As if that wasn’t enough to keep her busy, Emily is also playing the princess in the Winton Players’ pantomime in January, and has a role in PTG’s Into the Woods later in November.

Another cast member new to the group is Natasha Gwilliam, who is also a Petersfield Theatre Group regular. Tash plays the call-girl in Ding Dong, and has to sport a Russian accent. More used to performing in musicals, she says being in a straight play in a lead role has been challenging but fun.

Rounding off the cast is Steph Taylor, a long-standing member of the group, having played Tess in Tess of the d’Urbervilles and Jackie in My Mother Said... She’s likely to get the most laughs of the evening playing the surly maid in Ding Dong, a part which she’s relishing.

Ding Dong can be seen at the Festival Hall, Petersfield, from November 5-7 at 7.30pm, with an additional Saturday performance at 2.30pm.

Tickets priced £12 and £6 for under-18s, are available from One Tree Books, or online at www.lionandunicornplayers.co.uk

The players also have a Facebook page at: www.Facebook.com/petersfieldlionandunicorn where you can get regular updates.

It’s a busy time for this Petersfield-based amateur theatre group.

Next up will be a performance of God of Carnage, which was turned into a critically-acclaimed film starring Kate Winslet and Jodie Foster. This play will be directed by Sam Gaffney who is studying theatre at university. The God of Carnage will be performed at Sheet Village Hall from January 15-16.

Then the May 2016 production will be Anne Boleyn, directed by David Francombe, at the Festival Hall. Auditions will be after Ding Dong, so anyone interested in playing a Tudor or Stuart, or who could help with costumes, should get in touch.

Ben Gander has also written a play based on his book, OCD and Me, which goes into production next year.

And Laura Sheppard will direct Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors for November 2016.