Shakespeare’s dark comedy Measure for Measure is coming to Otley Courthouse.

The play, rarely performed by amateur companies, is set in a city of drunken debauchery.

It follows a young woman whose brother is sentenced to death by a ruler who has set out to impose high moral standards on the people.

But when the ruler cannot meet his own standards, she is given a harsh choice: what will she do to save her brother?

Otley Community Players have a reputation among amateur theatre companies both for writing and producing excellent original plays and for breathing life into historic plays.

“We think audiences will love the combination of humour and intense drama,” said director Kath Bond.

“It is a real treat to put on such a brilliant play, which so few people have had the opportunity to see.”

Measure for Measure will be performed at Otley Courthouse on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, July 9, 10 and 11.

Performances start at 7.30pm. Tickets, at £8/£5, are available from Otley Courthouse on 01943 467466.

Otley Community Players (OCP) are an amateur theatre group with an ethos of being inclusive.

Anyone who wants to participate can join, and they don’t audition for parts.

OCP aims to encourage original writing from members or local writers. Close to half of OCP’s productions have been original plays.

OCP, formed in 1996, operates under the umbrella of the Otley Community Play Association, which also encompasses the Otley Junior Orchestra, Art Stars, Otley Youth Theatre and the Otley Chamber Orchestra.

The Otley Courthouse project was also born out of Otley Community Players.

For more about Otley Community Players, go to otleyplayers.co.uk.