The show must go on despite lack of crew

Penicuik Community Theatre Group’s comedy play Talk about a Murder, by Lee Mueller, is scheduled to take place on June 7 and 8.

However, the recent withdrawal of two volunteers from the production has left the group with only one person ‘front of house’ for the play.

Despite this setback director Duncan Thomas has insisted that the “show must go on”, as he called on help to ensure the amateur group can produce their best possible performance for local people to enjoy.

He said: “We had a couple of people working on it but they have dropped out so we are really struggling.

“It just means it would be tight for one person to do everything. So we might have to make cuts to what we wanted to do. We need another couple of bodies to put on the full show.

“It’s fairly simple stuff. Helping with lighting and operating the computer.

“We have got one guy, who just needs people to help him. Literally just using the computer to switch between cameras and potentially put some lights up and down.

“They would need to be there next Tuesday to Friday minimum. If they can be there on Sunday and Monday even better. The shows are on the Thursday and Friday and the rest are rehearsals.”

Duncan admitted this was the first time the group had struggled to get production assistance for a show.

He said: “It’s a fantastic show. Probably one of the funniest shows we have ever done. And we have put in a lot of work to get it going.

“Just getting people to see the show would be fantastic. But my aim is to get someone along interested in stage work.

“It’s not really been a problem in the past. We have been around for about 30 years. But this has never been an issue.

“It’s a problem getting shows off the ground, but once we are up and running they tend to be fine. Unfortunately a couple of people we had lined up just can’t make it.”