Grayshott Stagers will be following up their award-winning production of Come On, Jeeves with their spring musical Return To The Forbidden Planet, which comes to Grayshott Village Hall from Wednesday, May 24 to Saturday, May 27.

This fabulously quirky show, which won the Olivier Award for best new musical for 1989/90, is a jukebox musical based on the 1956 film Forbidden Planet, which is itself a science fiction re-imagining of Shakespeare’s The Tempest. 

It brings together three exciting elements which combine to ensure a memorable audience experience.

First, take some of the best-known rock and roll classics from the 50s and 60s that are sure to get toes tapping. From Great Balls of Fire and Shakin’ All Over to She’s Not There, It’s a Man’s World and many more, the show is packed with songs from the golden years of rock and roll .

Then we have the plot, which is loosely based on Shakespeare’s original. In fact, the show is often billed as “Shakespeare’s forgotten rock and roll masterpiece” and the script really enjoys taking Shakespearean language and playing with many of his well-known quotes.

Finally, all of this takes place in a classic science fiction setting. The Starship Albatross, commanded by Captain Tempest, makes an emergency landing on the uncharted planet D’Illyria. 

The only residents there are the mad scientist Doctor Prospero and his daughter Miranda, plus their robot Ariel. They were banished into hyperspace when Miranda was just a baby, and she has known no other world than this. 

The crew survive many dangers including a meteor storm and attacks from a hideous tentacled monster.

The show is directed by Tony Carpenter and Joe White, and the musical director is Rob Miller. 

It is sponsored by iDocuments, providers of business process automation and integration solutions.

Tickets are priced at £14.75 (reductions for under-18s and parties of 10 or more) and are available from the Grayshott Stagers website https://www.grayshottstagers.co.uk/ or 07575 089322.