Halifax Thespians go behind scenes of Gone With the Wind for latest offering at the Playhouse

Sam Brunelle, Anna Tiffany, Nick Turner and Michael McSceane in Moonlight and Magnolias

Three movie masters, fuelled by peanuts and bananas for five days, what could possibly go wrong?

A riotous comedy that’s full of laughter, Moonlight and Magnolias, takes audiences behind the scenes as three movie masters set about creating one of the biggest Hollywood blockbusters of all time.

Three weeks into filming, Gone with the Wind, is in trouble and members of Halifax Thespians tell the story in all its glamorous glory at the Playhouse next week.

Desperate times call for drastic measures, so legendary producer David O Selznick, played by Sam Brunelle, shuts down the production.

He pulls director Victor Fleming, played by Michael McSceane, from the set of the Wizard of Oz and hires script-doctor Ben Hecht, played by Nick Turner, to save the film.

There’s a catch. The men have five days to rewrite the script from scratch and Hecht has not read the best-selling, 1,000-page novel.

“This is a stylish and well-written play that’s been performed a few times in the country recently. It’s very popular and audiences love it.

"They’re roaring with laughter in some places,” said director, Steve Tetlow. “There are some more serious undertones, but it’s a very funny play.”

“These three men are basically locked in a room for five days to work on the play, existing on peanuts and bananas.

“And as Hecht hasn’t actually read the book they have to re-enact Gone with the Wind for him. It has a 1940s Hollywood vibe with an element of slapstick too,” Steve said.

Also starring is Anna Tiffany as Miss Poppenguhl.

Gone With the Wind was based on Margaret Mitchell’s novel and starred Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Olivia de Havilland and Leslie Howard. There had already been drama surrounding the casting of Leigh.

The show runs from Tuesday September 24 to Saturday September 28 at the Halifax Playhouse.

Performances are daily at 7.30pm plus a 2.30pm Saturday matinee.

Tickets: £6 to £12 with two for £12 on the Tuesday.

To book tickets visit www.ticketsource.co.uk/HalifaxPlayhouse, ring the box office on 01422 365998 or email: [email protected]