Everyone is just beaming from ear to ear at Ilkley Playhouse. The smiles are uplifting, delightful and infectious and it’s all because of Betty Blue Eyes. If you hear a snatch of song from rehearsals you’ll be humming it moments later. If you hear a phrase of script it will keep you chuckling as you go about your business. Glimpse a clever bit of choreography and you’ll be high-kicking your way down the stairs. Betty Blue Eyes is uplifting, funny, warm, touching, clever and utterly Yorkshire!

Yorkshire humour, set in a fictional Yorkshire town, performed by Yorkshire folk who know just how it should be done. Betty Blue Eyes has a special relationship with Ilkley, in particular Ilkley Playhouse. Artistic director David Kirk knew when he saw it on the West End stage that he had to bring it to Ilkley. He fell in love with it and the northern humour, and knew it would delight audiences here.

Betty’s ties to Ilkley go back to the 1984 film, A Private Function. David himself was an extra, along with various other Playhouse members. The screenplay for the film is by Alan Bennett, a Yorkshire lad, and starred many notable actors: Maggie Smith, Michael Palin, Liz Smith, Denholm Elliot, to name a few.

The director, David Kirk, remembers filming a scene where he playing a young man who was home on leave from the army. Filming had to be halted because his hair was deemed too long; and resumed after the hairdresser had given him a trim. We’re sure other locals who remember the filming have lovely stories to tell – we’d love to hear them.

When the film’s wardrobe department realised what a fantastic stock of costumes The Playhouse had, indeed still have, they used Playhouse attire for everyone on the film. And of course it was largely filmed in Ilkley and Ben Rhydding. The interior of the Kings Hall was used for the private function after which the film was named. Liz Smith came to see a Playhouse production while she stayed in Ilkley during filming. Michael Palin became one of our Patrons after his time here.

These local links allowed the Playhouse to secure the first licence to put on an amateur production of Betty Blue Eyes from Cameron Mackintosh.

The story has been beautifully adapted for the stage by Ron Cowen and Daniel Lipman, while George Stiles and Anthony Drewe contribute an infectious, catchy, deceptively intricate score. The music and lyrics add perfect light-and-shade to the story, which has both depth and poignancy as befits its 1940s setting. The audience is wrapped in clever musical twists, catchy but complex, while the play brims with laugh-out-loud humour, sometimes in the most unexpected places.

Betty Blue Eyes is one of our largest productions, with a seven-piece professional band and a cast of 30 (not including Betty herself) and all costumed by the Ilkley Playhouse wardrobe department.

One of the big challenges was how to get a pig on stage. We have our own unique Betty, thrilled to be back in her spiritual home of Ilkley. More than just a pretty face, she has one or two special tricks up her hoof. She has a life of her own in this production as the rest of the cast are beginning to discover. And what makes our Betty Special? Well you’ll just have to come along and see!

Betty Blue Eyes runs from July 4 to 16, with tickets selling fast. This is certainly worth a look; we guarantee you won’t stop grinning, humming and possibly even high-kicking!

In other news, The Dumb Waiter is currently, er, waiting... in The Wildman Studio for its audience to arrive on the 22nd June (it runs until the 25th). One of Harold Pinter’s earlier works, it will be an gripping, absorbing production with experienced and highly skilled actors. We don’t want to give anything away, but it’s a tight piece of work with beautifully paced language. You enter into a simple, clever, intimate and effective set with meticulous performances.

Following on from our recent, successful Stagefright Comedyclub Edinburgh Festival preview, the next date is on the 23rd July at 8 pm. It will feature Ivan Brackenbury, from BBC1’s acclaimed 'Hospital People' (described by Chris Evans as 'a comedy genius'), along with Tom Binns, the writer of the same show. Joining them is Ian D Montfort, a comic spirit medium who will be previewing material from his forthcoming Edinburgh show 'How to Touch Dead People'. The evening will be compered once again by Anthony J Brown.

To book your ticket for Betty Blue Eyes, The Dumb Waiter or any of our events, visit ilkleyplayhouse.co.uk or call (01943) 609539. You can follow us on Facebook or Twitter for the latest news, reviews and pictures.