RUMOR has it - The Charity Players are the first drama group in Europe ever to stage the wonderful comedy Rumors, by America playwright, Neil Simon.

As a Citizen-supported production, each week we will be giving five readers a chance to win pairs of tickets to see the production, which it opens at the Charter Theatre, on April 21-24, in aid of St Catherine's Hospice.

This will not be the first time that the experienced theatre group has staged this hilarious comedy by one of America's funniest playwrights.

Last year the cast delighted packed audiences at Preston's Playhouse theatre with a first class performance and won rave reviews for their Oscar-winning talents.

It was renowned amateur actor/director Dean Taylor who discovered the gripping door-slamming, crockery-smashing humour of Rumors and was hooked.

But, as he soon discovered, staging the performance for Preston theatre-goers, was to prove difficult and Dean embarked on a bitter battle with the book's publishers Samuel French.

After applying for permission to stage the comedy, the group were given the thumbs down and told no amateur or professional cast had ever staged the show in Europe.

Totally bemused by their response, Dean called Mr Simon's American office with his query and was amazed when the man himself answered the 'phone!

Unaware that British audiences were being denied the delights of his farce, about the suburban 10th anniversary celebration of New York's deputy Mayor and his wife, Mr Simon instructed officials in London to unravel the red tape.

The Charity Players were granted the seal of approval and staged the comedy about four couples who get caught up in a tangled web of rumour and misunderstanding after the hostess disappears and the host is found with a bullet wound.

Tickets to see the show cost £5 and 50p (concessions) from the box office on 01772 258858.

To enter our fantastic competition just answer the following question.

Name the publishers of the play Rumors?

Send answers on a postcard to Rumors/Citizen Competition, Citizen Newsdesk, 3 Winckley Court, Chapel Court, Preston, PR1 3JJ/ Closing date for entries is Friday, March 12. Normal Citizen rules apply.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.