A theatre company in Saddleworth is celebrating 50 years in the making by staging a golden anniversary production.

Saddleworth Players moved into the former Co-operative building in Delph and created a theatre, now called The Millgate Arts Centre.

The centre is home to not only the Saddleworth Players and their youth wing but also the Saddleworth Film Society, Saddleworth Concert Society, In Your Shoes Theatre Group and many other visiting performers.

Now, celebrating its golden anniversary, the theatre is staging its production of "Alice" by Laura Wade from Saturday, November 18 to Saturday, November 25.

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A cast of 23 is made up of what director Carol Davies describes as the "golden chorus", all seasoned seniors who performed in the very first plays at the Millgate.

Members of Saddleworth Players Youth and a cast of talented regular players will also appear in the production.

Set in contemporary Sheffield, the show starts with rabbits on a riverbank and opens at a sombre funeral tea for Alice's brother Joe, who has been killed in a drunk driver accident.

The 12-year-old, played by Kira Richardson, has shut down in the trauma of her grief and finds Wonderland as her way of processing what has happened to ultimately help her embrace life once more.

The play has characters from both Lewis Carroll's classics, such as the Caterpillar as a border guard, Humpty Dumpty as a would-be poet and the self-absorbed Queen of Hearts who shouts "Off with their heads!"

Colourful costuming by the Players wardrobe department, an arresting set as well as music by David Shrubsole, Ian Blal and Mark Action, make for an unmissable production. 

Tickets can be bought online via the Millgate Arts Centre website.

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