Trio to tread the boards at Inverurie West Church

Retired drama teachers Larry Young and Graham Bett along with Malcolm Turner, will be performing the play Heroes.

Retired drama teachers Larry Young and Graham Bett along with Malcolm Turner, a 'weel kent' face in Northeast amateur drama circles are performing the play Heroes as a fundraiser for Inverurie's West Church in November in the West Church/Acorn Centre.

Written by Gérald Sibleyras and translated into English by Tom Stoppard, Heroes introduces us to three ‘old soldiers’ from the first world war who are now living in a French military retirement home.

Set in 1959, the three veterans Henri, Gustave and Philippe pass their time grumbling about the staff, dreaming about young women and arguing over whether a statue of a dog is alive.

One of them has a piece of shrapnel in his head, one has a gammy leg and the other suffers from agoraphobia. Might escape be their only option?

During the play, set on an outside terrace over a few weeks in August and September, we gradually discover more about these three men, their eccentricities, their follies and their quiet desperation in a humorous but often poignant fashion.

As in the original professional production in 2005 and the subsequent touring production it has been decided not to use French accents during the telling of this story.

Larry said: “the last thing we want to do is sound like refugees from ‘Allo Allo’!

"Although set in France, the tale it tells is universal, it could be set almost anywhere.”

Larry continues: “We have 'borrowed' the idea of A Play, A Pie and A Pint with our version being A Story, Stovies and Something Weet.

"After the show audience members will come down to the Acorn's hospitality area for a plate of stovies and something to drink.”

The performances will be on Thursday 10th, Friday 11th and Saturday 12th November in the West Church.

The dates were partly chosen because the play's subject matter links in with Armistice Day on the Friday and Remembrance Sunday on the 13th.

Tickets cost £12 and are available from The West Church/Acorn Centre in Inverurie.