A VERY familiar face to Colchester theatre-goers will be treading the town’s boards once again this time at the Headgate Theatre.

For many years Christine Absalom was a firm favourite as one of the members of the Mercury Theatre’s Company of actors, appearing in dozens of its most popular plays.

Now she is back, appearing in the next show by Jubilant Productions, a small independent theatre company based in Leigh-on-Sea, near Southend.

Formed in 2013, Jubilant is a co-operative of actors and other creatives of which Christine from Rayleigh, West Bergholt actor Tim Freeman, Colchester actor/director Ignatius Anthony, and Joanne McLoughlin and Jules Easlea, both from Leigh, are founder members.

Jubilant's first production was the critically acclaimed Merry It Was To Laugh There, an evocation of the First World War through poetry and diaries, and now they’re back with an original play written by Anne Pearson.

Entitled Romancing Miss Bliss or 'The Dentist's Dilemma', Jules describes it as a modern comedy of manners about a dentist who unwittingly writes an award winning romance novel.

Jules says: “After the success of Merry, for which we got some lovely reviews, we thought it might be an idea to do an original piece.

“I’ve had this idea for a while so we commissioned Anne, who is a brilliant writer based on the south coast, to write it for us.”

After a few rehearsed readings in Jaywick and Thurrock, the production is at its next stage of development with a presentation in Colchester.

Christine adds: “The performance will take the form of a semi-staged rehearsed reading. It will still be funny and entertaining but we will be working with scripts and the set and technical aspects will be slightly less than the full-scale production. However, we do guarantee you a great show.”

• Romancing Miss Bliss or 'The Dentist's Dilemma'

Headgate Theatre, Chapel Street North, Colchester.

February 10 and 11. 8pm.

Tickets £8, £6 concessions. 01206 366000.

www.headgatetheatre.co.uk