Rustington play set in charity shop explores ‘second love’

Next week, the Rustington Players will be taking to the stage to perform Good Things, which is billed as a poignant comedy set in a charity shop.

The show, directed by Lin Jones, takes place on three different days during one year, around New Year, Valentines and Christmas time.

It gives audiences a glimpse into the sometimes fraught, but never dull, lives of the staff and volunteers, Susan, Frazer and Marjorie, and their fascinating customers and visitors.

Dreading turning 50, and suddenly single, Susan is coping with a father in his second childhood, a daughter in the throes of a turbulent adolescence and an ex-partner who has run off with a younger woman.

The play follows a search to find love a second time round, but will there be a happy ending?

Lin has been directing for almost 25 years now, and along with husband Paul ran their own theatre company before moving back to Rustington six years ago.

This is her fourth production for Rustington Players, with her previous shows including Ray Cooney’s Run for Your Wife and last year’s It Could be Any One of Us.

Lin is now in rehearsal for her latest production, Ghost of a Chance, which is a short spoof panto for Drip Action Theatres’ Christmas Production of seven short plays to be staged in the Arundel Museum.

Lin said: “Originally, this play was based in Scotland and with just four cast playing all the roles, but as we have a lot of talented local actors, I decided to divide the roles and ended up with a wonderful cast of seven, and only one Scottish accent!

“The play is set on three different days throughout the year, thus the charity shop set has to change with the seasons, and as you can imagine we needed a lot of props for this production: several local shops, charity shops and theatre companies have been very helpful, and our props ladies – Patsy, Maureen and Val – have been kept very busy.”

There are some regular faces in the show, including Paul Jones, David Griffin and Maureen Ayres, but also several Rustington Player debuts, from Carrie Salisbury, David Abbott, Brenda Hargraves and Olivia Collins.

Lin added: “This was the first time I had worked with half of the group, and I am pleased to say we gelled instantly and it has been an absolute joy to work on this production.

“I hope the audience enjoy Good Things as much as we do.”

The show starts on Wednesday, November 13, at the Woodland Centre, in Woodlands Avenue, Rustington, and ends on Saturday, November 16.

Tickets are available by phoning the box offices on 01903 715153, from 6pm to 9pm, or on the door.