Ealing inspiration for city show

The Ladykillers of Orton Brimbles, Key Theatre Studio, January 23-27

Continuing their tradition of madcap spoofs, Eastern Angles have turned to the Ealing Comedies of the 1950s for inspiration with an off-the- wall retelling of The Ladykillers.

The company always like to inject a sense of East Anglian atmosphere into their scripts, and make a point of poking fun at regional eccentricities.

This post-Christmas show will be tailored to local audiences with a special adapted script for the people of Peterborough.

With this policy in mind, writer Harry Long has come with two separate titles; ‘The Ladykillers of Humber Doucy Lane’ and ‘The Ladykillers of Orton Brimbles’. The first title references a well-known leafy lane in North Ipswich, the second, of course, our New Town residential area in South West Peterborough.

Eastern Angles are also known for ‘spoofing’ wellknown literary figures, books and films. In the past the likes of Agatha Christie, Charles Dickens, Lord Peter Wimsey and the Tudors of Wolf Hall have all come in for a comedic battering.

Harry Long explains how the idea for the show first came about.

“We thought it would be funny to see a group of hardened convicts trying to put on a very mannered theatre production. We also wanted to base the show on the brilliant Ealing comedy The Ladykillers, where an innocent little old lady is unknowingly harbouring criminals. So, I put those two ideas together and ended-up with a group of convicts who break out of prison, and decide to stage a production of ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’. While the audience is watching their show, the criminals rob their houses. The convicts are all staying with a lady called Binkie, a local theatrical digs provider, Michael Ball superfan, and well-known conspiracy theorist.

“It’s very much in the spirit of Ealing – a mad, character-led caper comedy.”

Tickets on: 01733 207239 or www.vivacity- peterborough.com .