Theatre company to perform at Stansted House as part of festival

Lord Bessborough, who lived at Stansted for many years, was one of the founding figures of the Chichester Festival Theatre and raised considerable sums to help it to be built.

Julian Sluggett, artistic director of the company, said: ‘This is a wonderful opportunity to pay tribute to one of the great post-war figures of the British theatre and we feel privileged to be able to present our work in the beautiful Music Room in October.

‘We have recently formed Rogues into a community interest company and this has enabled us to attract sponsorship for the series from the estate agents Borland and Borland.’

Presenting three works over the time, the company continues to develop local writers.

Racton Follies 5, by Julian and David Broughton, continues the highly successful series, re-telling many humorous tales from the past, including the famous Stansted House Fire in 1900. Smugglers, witches and Gustav the Pigeon VC rub shoulders with more tragic tales from the First World War.

A Damsel in Distress by PG Wodehouse, the wonderful comic tale, been adapted by Havant’s Lucy Flannery and tells stories of love, mysterious young girls, and a mad mixture of eccentric characters and mistaken identity set in the fictional Belper Castle.

Dear Lily, compiled by Howard Jacobs, brings to life the correspondence between PG Wodehouse and his house keeper Lillian Barnett from the time when he lived in Emsworth before the First World War to 1973.

His friendship with Lily and affection for Emsworth are presented as the final piece.

Performances start on October 4 and run until October 21.

Rogues & Vagabonds

Stansted House, Havant

October 4-21

wemsfest.com