Funny, sad and disturbing by turns, The Scottish Play by Graham Holliday provided a stimulating evening's entertainment. Written for radio in 1985, and adapted for the stage soon afterwards, the play gave great scope for the talents of the Wrington Drama Society.

The basic premise of the play is that the Shellsfoot Thespians Amateur Dramatic Society is attempting to stage 'The Scottish Play'. The title refers to the superstitious dread among theatre folk about mentioning the word 'Macbeth', and this was used more than once to comic effect.

Michael, a modern tragic hero played with wild- eyed manic energy by Phil Neve, is the would- be director of this production. He is unaware that his wife Lynne, a measured, subtle portrayal by Kate Morley, and best friend Frank, played with aplomb by Peter Jones, are trying to put their recent affair behind them in the interests of the production.

The plot is thickened by the machinations of Geraldine, a wealthy patron of the Society and a luvvie who fancies herself in the part of Lady Macbeth. Her delightfully over-the-top part was acted con brio by Moira Shapland. Meanwhile Alan, the cocky and amiable factotum, cheekily portrayed by Peter Ellis, pursues a blossoming romance with flighty new club member Fiona, played by Liz Thomas.

Comic relief came on the one hand from Les, Michael's boss in the dreary estate agents, done with a splendidly bluff Yorkshire accent by Les Morley, and on the other from Sally, Margaret Morris's cheerful gossip- monger. Barnaby, Michael Berkley's bashful, shambling clown, provided the pathos.

There was a Shakespearian flavour in the complicated layers of plot and intrigue. Inextricably mingled with these was the play within the play - snippets of Macbeth, perhaps scenes being rehearsed, perhaps running through Michael's mind as he wrestles with the production, his job, his relationships with his wife and best friend.

'Tomorrow and tomorrow...' the famous speech consisting almost entirely of quotations so familiar they have become clichés, was fresh and moving when delivered with great understatement by Peter Jones.

The sparse set, the blackouts and rapid scene changes were clearly the work of a very competent backstage crew. Mark Bullen's assured direction seemed to place us inside Michael's head as he battled insurmountable odds to save his play, his marriage, and ultimately his sanity.

ER