Play Club brings the comedy Nell Gwynn to St Andrews

The cast of Nell Gwynn, which is being performed by St Andrews Play Club.

Director Alan Tricker saw the play in London two years ago – and immediately decided he wanted to bring the story to his home town audience.

“I found it a funny and enjoyable play with a big cast,” he said. “Very few new plays have big casts but this has a cast of 14. It got me thinking that it would be a great play for the Play Club. When the annual discussion started about ‘the next play’ I suggested Nell Gwynn. The company read it and thoroughly enjoyed themselves so it was chosen. We have 19 in our cast (pictured right)!”

Author Jessica Swale takes a few facts about Nell Gwynn – one of the first actresses on the British stage – and weaves a rollicking and racy play about her colourful life in the theatre and her long romantic association with the King. It is set in London in 1660, and King Charles II has exploded on to the scene with a love of all things loud, extravagant and sexy. And at Drury Lane, a young Nell Gwynn is causing stirrings amongst the theatregoers. Nell Gwynn charts the rise of an unlikely heroine, from her roots in Coal Yard Alley to her success as Britain’s most celebrated actress, and her hard-won place in the heart of the King.

There are also eight songs in the show, so this is an exciting venture for the Play Club that founded the Byre Theatre in 1933.

Nell Gwynn plays nightly at the Byre from Tuesday, November 6, to Saturday, November 10, with two shows on Saturday.

Tickets are available from the theatre box office by calling 01334 475000 or online