The Bishops Cleeve Players are set to bring their latest production to the Tithe Barn this month.

Long-time member, director and writer of the show ‘The Scorpion Affair’, Sandy Newman, explains where the idea for her latest work came from.

“It’s an original play written by myself, my third in fact,” she said. “It was inspired by a song by Caro Emerald called ‘The Other Woman’.

“Then as I wrote it morphed into more of a spy thriller so I renamed it ‘The Scorpion Affair’ – although the other woman is still an essential element.

“It’s set in a London Cabaret Club in 1920s Soho. The Stradivari Club is being used to smuggle diamonds and the newly formed MI6 are determined to catch the perpetrators.

“MI6 have not, however, uncovered the fact that there is a spy at the club and when one of the of the characters is murdered they have no idea who it might be.”

The performance is set to be a fully immersive one as the hall undergoes a transformation, with the Players also inviting the audience to get into the spirit of the evening by dressing up as if it were the Roaring Twenties.

Sandy continued: “We’d really like them to, it would add to the whole experience and atmosphere, but of course it’s not compulsory.

“We will set out the hall so the audience will be sat around tables rather than in rows, like in a cabaret club – not that I’ve ever been to one of course! As a bit of added fun there will be non-alcoholic cocktails for all performances with a licensed bar for evening performances only.

“Rhythm Strings are also going to be accompanying us with songs from the 1920s by such wonderful composers as George Gershwin. Rhythm Strings performed with us at our variety show last year where we raised over £1,000 for charity.”

There are three performances of the show at Bishop’s Cleeve Tithe Barn, on Friday 12th April at 7:30pm and on Saturday 13th April at 2:30pm and 7:30pm.

“Rehearsals have been great fun, there’s a lot of laughs,” Sandy added. “We’ve had five new members join us including a young lady from Russia who is studying in the UK, which has been really nice.

“There’s 14 people in the cast playing people of all different nationalities, plus our wonderful backstage crew. Our friends and family help out with front of house duties, like tickets and serving refreshments. We’re all really looking forward to it.”