“A comedy with heart” from the Arundel Players

They take to the stage with Neil Simon’s comedy I Ought to Be in Pictures.

“Simon, whose name is synonymous with Broadway comedy, wrote more than 30 plays and nearly the same number of movie screenplays, mostly film adaptations of his plays. Among them are The Odd Couple, Barefoot in the Park, The Goodbye Girl, Chapter Two and California Suite. Simon has received more combined Oscar and Tony nominations than any other writer.

“I Ought to Be in Pictures premiered on Broadway in April 1980 and was made into a film starring Walter Matthau and Ann Margret in 1985.

“It centres on Herbert Tucker, a Hollywood scriptwriter whose ideas have dried up. His girlfriend of two years wants more of a commitment from him and one morning, his feisty 19-year-old daughter, whom he hasn’t seen in 16 years, shows up on his doorstep, asking him to help get her into the movies.

“What follows is classic Simon – humour and witty repartee interspersed with moments of real tenderness.”

The play runs at the Priory Playhouse on London Road from June 6-11. It features Steve Wallace, and Veryan Jennings. Making her debut with the Arundel Players is 16-year-old Eva Chapman as Libby Tucker.

Director Sandee has strong personal reasons for cho osing the play: “I was one of the lucky ones. I had my father for 50 years and he was always there for me.

" Recently, my granddaughter lost her husband to cancer and her three beautiful young children will have to grow up without their daddy. This breaks my heart. I believe that, whatever relationship audiences have had with their fathers, they will be able to relate to this play.”

Sandee added: “Although I have had much experience directing student productions, this is only the second time I have directed a play for community theatre. There are perhaps as many reasons for wanting to direct a play as there are directors.

“For me, it’s a matter of falling in love with a play and then wanting to share it with others. Neither play that I’ve directed (Mass Appeal in 2013 and now I Ought to Be in Pictures) is familiar to British audiences and yet I believed that both would be well-received and would touch others’ hearts as they did mine.

" I think it’s in our nature to want to share with others the things that we really love. My other reason for directing is the desire to do something creative. As an actor, I have portrayed many characters but all with the input of the director.

" As a director, however, the entire production is your vision – from the script you choose to the actors you cast, the way they look, move and deliver their lines on stage, the set you have constructed, your lighting and sound requirements and even the music you select to accompany the production.

Tickets on 07523 417926 or online at www.ticketsource.co.uk/arundelplayers