THE bitter sweet comedy And a Nightingale Sang is being brought back to the stage by Tyldesley Little Theatre (TLT).

The play which follows the life and loves of a working class family during the Second World War was first performed by the theatre company in 1994.

The production opens just before the beginning of the war and centres on a family living in Manchester.

Cathryn Megan Hughes plays Helen who is stoical and self-deprecating and partly narrates the play, her grandfather Andie is played by TLT regular Ian Hunter, who is recruiting mourners to attend the burial of his dog; her devout Catholic mother, played by Joyce Elder, is fretting about the health of the local priest; her father, Adrian White—in his second appearance at TLT — is serenading an unwilling audience with the popular songs that light up the whole play. Joyce, played by Sally Mason, Helen’s younger sister is dithering over whether to accept a marriage proposal from Eric, played by Matt Walshaw, who is being deployed to France.

Helen, depended on for guidance by the whole family, has never had any attention from men — until she meets Norman, played by seasoned regular Alex Clarke, who shows her that she can waltz and fall in love.

Matt said: "But for all the family, nothing can be the same after the war."

He added: "Another TLT stalwart takes her seat in the director’s chair. Margaret Speakes puts her mark on this classic play in a way that only she can."

The show runs from Tuesday May 15 until Saturday, May 19. All shows start at 7.30pm. For tickets email tickets@tlt.org.uk or ring 07845105195.