Frinton Summer Theatre to get underway with Ladies in Lavender

The tender and bittersweet play about love, regret and belonging will be staged at Frinton’s McGrigor Hall from Tuesday, July 12, to Saturday, July 16.

The play sees aging sisters Ursula and Janet discover a young man near death on the beach by their home in a small Cornish fishing village.

Taking him in, they discover that he is Andrea, a violinist from Krakow, Poland, who was swept off an ocean liner on which he was sailing to a fresh start in America.

As they nurse him back to health, they all discover a little bit more about loss, love and friendship.

This beautiful and heartwarming play, based on a 1908 short story by William Locke, was adapted into a 2004 film, written and directed by Charles Dance, starring Judi Dench and Maggie Smith.

A spokesman for Frinton Summer Theatre said: “The Frinton production will be directed by actor and director Alison Reid, who will also perform An Elephant in the Garden, Michael Morpurgo’s bestselling children’s novel, in a new stage adaptation by Simon Reade in the Greensward ten in August “Ladies in Lavender features a cast of six and live violin music played by James Hastings in the role of Andrea.

“This production marks James’s professional debut, following a longstanding Frinton Summer Theatre tradition of employing recent graduates.

“James will be graduating from the Royal Academy of Music on the same date as the opening night of Ladies in Lavender.”

The play runs from Tuesday, July 12, to Saturday, July 16, at 7.30pm. There is also a 3pm matinee on the Saturday.

Tickets range from £18 to £24 and are available from the box office on 01255 775727 or at frintontheatretickets.co.uk.

The season will also include Ghosts of the Titanic from July 19 to 23, Bunch of Amateurs from July 26 to 30 July, a Comedy Night on July 31, Home I’m Darling from August 2 to 6, Moonlight and Magnolias from August 9 to 13 and David Copperfield from August 16 to 20.