The latest play produced by Colchester’s Packing Shed Theatre Company is from the pen of local playwright Patrick Marlowe.

Memento Mori tells the story of Adrian and Jane who, living in their old cottage, are still coming to turns with the loss of a child.

Then when friends Nigel and Lizzy turn up for the weekend, the past literally comes back to haunt them.

Patrick’s witty chiller about relationships, love and loss, was first staged at Frinton Summer Theatre back in 2013.

The Colchester-based writer, who is also well known for his acting roles on the Frinton stage, has had six plays produced at the Summer Rep including Marsh House, The Box and The End of the Line.

He says: “This will be the first time one of my plays has had a professional production outside Frinton and to have it put on at my local theatre is a real thrill.

“I managed to get along to the first read through last week and it’s always exciting when you hear the actors speaking your words.”

Set in an old cottage, Patrick has mixed the ghostly with his trademark comedy in this play, which has a very timely run, coinciding with the Mercury Theatre’s Main Stage production of Henry James’ Turn of the Screw.

“I’ve always loved ghost stories,” Patrick says, “and I’ve written quite a few in the past but this play is a lot more than just an opportunity to scare the audience.”

Appearing in the four-hander will be Colchester actor Adam Duate-Dias, last seen in Sunday in the Park with George for Platform Musicals and before that In Search of England, Packing Shed’s debut show.

Also in the play is Grace Dunne, ex-Mercury Youth Theatre member, originally from Great Bentley but now based in London, and Frinton actor Ben Jacobson, who is also now based in London.

Making up the cast is Sadie Clark who is also based in London but is originally from Diss in Suffolk.

The Packing Shed Theatre Company was set up last year to produce East Anglian new writing by creatives also based in the East. Following last March’s In Search of England at the Mercury Studio Theatre they put on an open air original show entitled A Midsummer Night’s Scream within Tymperleys gardens in the centre of Colchester.

The play is being directed by Sarah Chapleo, who is originally from Alresford but is now a freelance theatre director in London. She has directed several shows on the London Fringe Theatre scene and took up a show, Your ever Loving to Edinburgh last year.

Memento Mori runs at the Mercury Studio Theatre from March 8 to 10 at 8pm with an extra matinee on the Saturday at 3pm.

For tickets, go on-line at www.mercurytheatre.co.uk or call the box office on 01206 573948.