The Cheltenham Operatic and Dramatic Society – or CODS, as they are more commonly known – are one of the country’s oldest amateur dramatics groups.

Throughout their years on stage, the society have tackled all manner of shows, from classic musicals like ‘Guys and Dolls’ and ‘Oliver!’, to comedies including ‘Blackadder Goes Forth’ and ‘Spamalot’.

Comedy is the usual starting point every year for the group, and 2019 is no different, with ‘A Bunch of Amateurs’ this year’s first offering.

Paul Avery, who will be directing the play, reveals the challenges and joys behind performing a comedic production.

He said: “It’s fun rehearsing comedy, although it is a technical skill which requires a lot of work. By the time you perform a comedy you are no longer laughing at the jokes but should understand them so well that you can captivate an audience.

“A Bunch of Amateurs’ is a character piece, the more pathos the audience feels with the characters the funnier the jokes become. Rehearsals therefore are mostly about finding those characters, which can be hard work.”

The play was co-written by masters of satire Ian Hislop, of ‘Have I got News For You’ and ‘Private Eye’ fame, and Nick Newman, whose credits include ‘Spitting Image’.

It tells the story of fading Hollywood A-lister Jefferson Steele, who arrives in the UK to play King Lear – only to discover he’ll be working with an amateur drama group rather than the Shakespeare company.

The play has also appeared on the big screen with Burt Reynolds and Sir Derek Jacobi starring, and the CODS cast are aiming to bring their own unique style to the production.

Karen Frank, a CODS member for over 10 years, explains what she thinks makes the group stand out from the crowd.

She said: “Given that we have been performing in Cheltenham since 1890, just before The Everyman opened, we have a long history of delivering the closest thing that you will get to a professional production from an amateur society.

“Many of our members have performing arts and acting experience in the professional arena. I would go as far as saying that many people watching one of our shows do not even realise that we are an amateur company!”

Behind the scenes, Karen says that the work of volunteers is key and invites anyone who has an interest in getting involved in theatre to get in touch.

“We could not put on a production of any size without our wonderful production teams and backstage help. The production team is made up of different people each time as people can apply to direct, musically direct or choreograph a show.

“Regarding backstage help, there is something for everyone wanting to become involved with CODS. We are always on the lookout for new members to help with lighting, make-up, costume, prompting, set building and more.”

‘A Bunch of Amateurs’ runs from 2nd to 9th February at Cheltenham Playhouse, and after months of rehearsals, Paul is excited to get underway.

“The real pleasure of comedy is performing to an audience,” he added. “Hearing them laugh re-kindles the joy in the original script and after months of graft the whole thing comes to life in a new way.”

If you are interested in getting involved with the Cheltenham Operatic and Dramatic Society contact chairman Lynsey MacDonald at lynseymacd@aol.com.