Am Dram Star of the Week Stephen Read is in Albrighton Players Drama Group’s production of Neighbourhood Watch

A retired teacher, who likes to keep his hand in by working just a couple of days a week, not to mention playing the church organ too as well as a host of other hobbies, Stephen’ first experience in dram was whilst at school in Bath where he did lighting and sound, but it wasn’t long before the urge to tread the boards took over and Stephen took singing lessons, eventually performing in The Magic Flute, The Barber of Seville and The Pirates of Penzance.

The years rolled by and then in early 2016, Stephen joined Albrighton Players Drama Group for their production of A Chorus of Disapproval, playing the pianist, Mr Ames. There was no looking back.

In Neighbourhood Watch, Stephen takes the role of Rod, a retired security guard who is also ex-military, a bit of a loner, politically incorrect and a misogynist! Stephen laughs: “He is probably about as far away from my own character as you can get, so it might require a fair bit of acting!”

Neighbourhood Watch is set on the Bluebell Hill Development, which is a modern middle-class housing area. Brother and sister Martin and Hilda Massie have just moved in and intend to live a quiet Christian existence, but as they are preparing for a house warming party, their peace is disturbed by a young trespasser. Their neighbours all congregate in their living room and decided to form a neighbourhood watch group. What begins as a well-intentioned scheme to protect the residents on the development, soon gets totally out of hand with many hilarious, but also some dark moments.

“I obviously have an affection for Ayckbourn, as it was through a play of his that I first got involved with APDG. Ayckbourn is brilliant observer of the human condition and relationships and I feel that his work is as relevant now as it ever was. This play was written in 2011, so it could all happen today. There is a tremendous amount of subtlety in the dialogue, so it may be that younger audience members may not ‘get it’ entirely, but there is something there to speak to everyone,” says Stephen

l Catch Stephen and his pals in Neighbourhood Watch from February 28- March 3 at Albrighton Primary School. For tickets, call 07434830142 or visit www.ticketsource.co.uk/albrightonplayers