Old Buckenham Players launch themselves into their next show this month with Alan Ayckbourn's Comic Potential.
It is a depressing vision for an actor: a world, not more than 50 years into the future, in which robot 'actoids' have supplanted humans in soap operas.
The central character is a female actoid, JC-F-333, or Jacie Triplethree, who sets herself apart from her fellow robots by displaying a independence of mind and a sense of humour. These virtues reinvigorate Chance Tate, an embittered old comedy-film director fallen on hard times, who finds himself directing actoid hospital soaps.
Into this world comes Adam, a young idealistic writer wanting to resurrect the world of traditional comedy. Captivated by the lovely Jacie they elope with comic consequences.
Ayckbourn's play is a satire on the world of television: a place where actors are androids, where original ideas go through a complicated development process and where accountants rule.
But this is also a play about the death of comedy intertwined with a love story.
Performances will be at Old Buckenham Village Hall on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, May 17-19, at 7.30pm. Tickets at �6 available from Old Buckenham Stores, Nuts 'n' Bolts in Attleborough or 01603 810373.
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