THE Schoolhouse Players took on a difficult task when they chose to perform the comedy farce Kindly Leave The Stage.

The John Chapman play alternates between the actors playing their roles and the actors' "real lives", with the poor prompter frantically trying to keep to the plot.

It sounds complicated, but the players portrayed the action smoothly and confidently with some great comic moments coming through. The mix-up between the fake whisky (cold tea, we're told) and the "real thing" was the perfect recipe for on-stage mayhem.

If only the delivery had been more quick fire in the final scenes - the laughs would have come thicker and faster. But the climax was still hilarious as the curtain came crashing down on the inevitable chaos.

On the whole, a cleverly written play was brought hilariously to life at the town centre Playhouse. Very enjoyable.

The Schoolhouse Players only just managed to find a vital prop the day before the show was to start.

The cast appealed to Citizen readers to donate a large trunk in which six-foot actor Alan Almond has to hide for much of the play. He had been using a cramped suitcase for rehearsals.

The production team thank the Citizen and its readers for their response. A suitable trunk was offered by the Cados Players.

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