Humour is where the H-Art is for Harthill theatre group

Group members (left to right) Duncan Millar, Martin Baker, Gary Milne, Amanda France, Femke Williams and Vivienne Honey. 190773-1

H-art Players will stage their second mini-season at Harthill Village Hall with Last Panto In Little Grimley and Brenton Vs Brenton, both of which take their cue from TV shows.

While Last Panto puts the focus on the cash-strapped, artistically-challenged Little Grimley Amateur Dramatic Society, Brenton vs Brenton is inspired by, and happy to lampoon, American soaps and blockbuster TV series.

Cast member Martin Baker explained: “There was another H-Art in the village which folded about ten years ago due to dwindling numbers.

“Last year we brought it back and performed two plays on one night for Bluebell Wood. This year, we’re are doing it over two nights.

“Last year we did Last Tango in Little Grimley, and we are doing the sequel this time and Brenton Vs Brenton is by the same author.

“They are comedic scripts with plenty of room for interpretation and we will be interpreting the hell out of them.”

Martin said the small size of the company — there are six of them, including three from Harthill itself — had given everyone a chance to do their bit.

“We’ve become quite close-knit quite quickly and everyone is also involved backstage,” he said. “We are directing ourselves and different people are taking care of the technical side, the producing and the marketing.”

The shows will both be performed at 7.30pm on Friday (21) and Saturday (22) and Martin said Harthill Village Hall was an ideal venue.

“It is great and it’s already used for school plays,” he said. “We will be setting up in cabaret style with tables dotted around so people can come in groups or as individuals, bring their own drinks and nibbles, enjoy the show and then stay afterwards to have a chat with the cast.

Tickets for this weekend’s shows, which are not suitable for under-12s, are priced at £5 and available through the H-Art Players Facebook page or by emailing [email protected].

Martin said H-Art was always on the lookout for new members, which can get in touch via the Facebook page or email.