Weekly rep continues at the Manor Pavilion Theatre in Sidmouth next week with the arrival of the second production, Joking Apart by Alan Ayckbourn, which runs from Thursday 2 to Wednesday 8 July 2015. 

The Summer Rep Season sees one company of actors present a season of twelve classic revivals throughout summer, with a new production each week until the end of September.

Joking Apart tells the story of Richard and Anthea, the ideal couple who are charming, generous and successful. They bought their big country house for a song, Richard breezes through his work life as easily as he overcomes opponents on his tennis court, and Anthea is always eating yet always slim. They’re livelier, luckier, and lovelier than the rest of us. But it is possible that being friends Richard and Anthea could have its downfalls? Could you actually come to loathe the golden couple?

Played out in the same back garden over a twelve-year period, Richard, Anthea and their friends gather to relax and compete, both on and off the tennis courts, as their private agonies emerge to devastating effect. Joking Apart is a dark comedy about the friends you love to hate and hate to love.

Alan Ayckbourn is one of Britain's most prolific comedy playwrights, having written over 75 plays and won countless awards including both Olivier and Tony Lifetime Achievement Awards. His major successes include Relatively Speaking, How The Other Half Loves, Absurd Person Singular, Bedroom Farce, Absent Friends , Things We Do For Love and The Norman Conquests.

The cast features Chris Casey as Richard, Stephanie Willson as Anthea, Anton Tweedale as Hugh, Natalie Douglas as Louise, Alec Fellows-Bennett as Sven, Lou Lou Mason as Olive, Gary Roe as Brian and Grace Miller as Melody.

Joking Apart is directed by Andrew Beckett.

Performances: 8.00pm (no shows on Sunday)
Tickets:  Adults £15.00 - £14.00, Under 16s £8.00 (Season tickets available)
Box office: 01395 514 413 | www.manorpavilion.com