Scarborough playwright's full length Love, Joan to premiere at Burniston and Cloughton Village Hall

It is being directed by Scarborough-based Duncan Lewis and is on at Burniston and Cloughton Village Hall.

I am directing Love, Joan a new, bittersweet comedy drama. It is also the first full-length play by local writer Shari Gledhill.

The plot – mysterious bequest from a lady called Joan Francis, leads famous actor Tom Grant back to his hometown of Scarborough, accompanied reluctantly by his assistant Elaine.

Tom is determined to face the ghosts of his past and to take stock of his life and successful career.

Some of the locals are not altogether happy to see the house taken over by Hollywood’s finest while others extend the warm hand of friendship.

Secrets will be revealed, threatening to destroy Tom’s relationships and career.

Can he learn from his mistakes and move on from the trauma of his past?

The cast of Love, Joan:

Tom – Robbie Howe

Elaine – Terri-Ann Prendergast

Ian – Chris Parrinder

Louise – Rachel Emerson

Shari has been writing plays for more than 25 years and her work has had success at several drama festivals throughout the North East, winning awards for writing, acting and directing.

Her theatre company Bananadrama performed Shari’s Loud Grief and Quiet Joy at the Saltburn Drama Festival 2023.

Paul Spencer won Best Supporting Actor and Chris Parrinder and Rachel Emerson were both nominated in the Best Actor category.

Last year, the company took Shari’s Last Chance Saloon to the festival. The bittersweet two-hander was set in the intimate world of a marriage and drew positive comments from the festival adjudicators.

The Allerton Players’ production of Shari’s These Are The Days won best production at the Richmond One-Act Drama Festival in 2022.

Bananadrama presents Love, Joan at Burniston and Cloughton Village Hall on Friday, April 25 and Saturday, April 26, daily at 7.30pm.

Tickets – £10 – from ticketsource or on the door.