IT’S still one of the most famous scandals in all of British politics.

But instead of placing John Profumo and Christine Keeler into the spotlight, Hugh Whitemore’s A Letter of Resignation is very much from the viewpoint of the Prime Minister at the time, Harold MacMillan and his wife Lady Dorothy.

It’s the latest play to be put on by the Headgate Theatre’s own in-house production company this time under the directorship of Mike Poole.

Mike hasn’t directed a play at the Chapel Street North venue since Agatha Christie’s Spider’s Web two years ago, although he did take on Nayland Players’ Dead Ringer in April earlier this year.

Mike says: “I was asked if I wanted to direct another play back at the Headgate about a year ago and I thought long and hard about what one I should do.

“I had seen a production with Edward Fox as MacMillan back in 1997 and had always wanted to do it but never had the right combination of people.”

Now with Malcolm Kimmance as MacMillan and Chrissie Kettle as Lady Dorothy as well as Robin Warnes, Joseph Sales and Teresa Sales making-up the cast, Mike is looking forward to the production finally taking to the stage next week.

Set in the library of a castle in Scotland in the summer of 1963, A Letter of Resignation is a work of fiction, although the main events described and discussed in the piece did actually happen.

He adds: “It deals with the relationship between Macmillan and Profumo but also the relationship between Harold and Lady Dorothy.

“The dialogue is quite wordy but beautifully written which explains so wonderfully the background to the whole Profumo Affair.”

• A Letter of Resignation Headgate Theatre, Chapel Street North, Colchester.

Wednesday to Saturday, October 21 to 24. 7.45pm.

£11, £9 concessions. 01206 366000.

www.headgatetheatre.co.uk