WITH most of the tickets sold for the second week of The History Boys, Ilkley Players are continuing their successful run of quality performances.

Directed by Miranda Armitage and starring young, local actors as the “boys” the feedback so far has been excellent. There is a matinee only on Saturday, March 21, at 2.30pm and the performance on Wednesday, March 25,will be “signed” by British Sign Language interpreter Keren Seabrook. Check with box office for ticket availability. The play runs until Saturday, March 28. Tickets £11/£9.

It’s a busy time at the Playhouse with the directors of the next three productions all having rehearsals underway now, even throughout the Easter period. It’s a huge undertaking to bring a play from inception to the performance, the level of commitment required is enormous and it has certainly paid off this season as the audiences have been very vocal in their appreciation of the high standards on show.

Tickets are on sale for the next main stage production, Ding Dong by Marc Camoletti. This comedy, by the writer of the hugely successful Boeing Boeing, is based on the French play Sexe et Jalousie. Bernard has discovered that his wife Jacqueline is having an affair with Robert. Being a reasonable businessman, Bernard gives Robert two options to compensate for the affair: either he will sleep with Robert’s wife in order to keep things even, or he will have him killed! April 29 to May 9.

Not JUST a Playhouse… Don’t forget that Fleapit Cinema is showing A Month in the Country on Sunday, March 22 at 2pm. Set in 1920s rural Yorkshire and starring Kenneth Branagh and Colin Firth it tells the story of a World War I veteran employed to carry out restoration work on a medieval mural discovered in a rural church while coming to terms with the after-effects of the war. With an original score by Howard Blake this is a lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Tickets are £5 to include tea and cake.

Why not get a team together and enter the Big Quiz on Saturday, April 11. David Higgins has compiled the questions to tease you on a range of subjects from film, history and sport to name a small selection. Tickets are £8 to include a pie and pea supper and there is a prize for the winning team. This event cannot be booked online so ring 01943 609539 to enter.

Ilkley Playhouse is re-discovering a vast wardrobe department of unique fashions from ball gowns to fancy dress, which is currently being catalogued. We are holding a Vintage Fair in the Sheridan Suite on Saturday, April 18 from 10am – 4 pm to launch our new costume hire website. Check out www.facebook.com/ilkleycostumes for a preview. Charlie Oswain (hair and make-up artist to the stars…in Cinderella, Emmerdale, Annie) will be on hand to do vintage make-overs.

Finally, if it’s a laugh you are after, look no further than the Stagefright Comedy Club on Saturday, April 18. This is the first Stagefright of 2015 and ticket sales are already going well so don’t leave it too late to book your table. The Comedy Club is a great way to meet up with friends , so if you haven’t been before, why not give it a go? Jim Tavare who co-wrote and starred in the Bafta award-winning The Sketch Show and was the landlord of the Leaky Cauldron in the Harry Potter films, will headline. He is joined by Craig Deeley, a former finalist in Channel 4′s ‘So You Think You’re Funny?’ competition. Bilal Zafar is also in the line-up – an East-Londoner with a charming onstage demeanour. Bilal’s material is a mix of the topical, the anecdotal and the mildly bizarre. Tom Short is a stand-up, professional improviser and an award-nominated writer. Described as having “the mind of a socially awkward man”, Tom is happy to live his awkward life openly for the world to laugh at.

The guest compere is Kate McCabe, an American stand-up who gigs all over the UK and can also be heard on both Gaydio and Fab Radio International. A member of ComedySportz Manchester, she also performs both short-form and long-form improve in both the UK and the USA. You can catch her at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this summer as half of the show TomKate: Comedy Tandem with fellow stand-up and improviser Tom Short. Tickets £12, 8pm start, bar open from 7pm.

For tickets and information visit www.ilkleyplayhouse.co.uk or 01943 609539.