THIS coming week will see the launch of not one but two different shows in Bolton.

The town's amateur theatre community is warming up for a week of treading the boards - both using Alan Ayckbourn plays.

Starting off the shows are Farnworth Little Theatre with a production of Ayckbourn's Bedroom Farce which premiers on Saturday.

It will welcome Frances Clemmitt for her first time directing at the theatre and newcomers Stage Manager Ashleigh Merrills, Julie Burrell, as Jan, Keith Brian, as Malcolm, and Nicholas Eccles, as Nick.

Bedroom Farce is a comedy following the philandering relationship between a group of couples and has a set featuring three different bedrooms.

The task of creating the inventive staging has been put in the hands of twice Bolton Amateur Theatre Societies award-winning set designer Sara Hassall and her technical team - who are constructing their own beds and mattresses.

The play was first performed in 1975 at Scarborough and was Ayckbourn's 19th play. It was recently revived in the West End with Nicholas Le Provost and Jane Asher.

John Howarth, one-third of Farnworth's play select committee, said : "I feel it is always good to include an Alan Ayckbourn play in the season. He is a playwright I admire because of his technical ability to capture humorous visual moments in all of his plays.

" He believes that all theatre should be 50 percent visual. Bedroom Farce is a play with many of those visual moments.

"Sometimes his work is in danger of being under-valued, mainly because he has written 80 plays but I think he is a remarkable playwright whose work will continue to be performed in many years to come."

On Monday another o0f the award-wining author's productions is being brought to the Bolton stage.

Bolton Little Theatre will be performing body-swapping drama If I Were You for a six-might run.

See a full run-down of the production at the Bolton News website.

Bedroom Farce runs from Saturday to September 17, at 7.30pm and matinee on Saturday at 2pm.

To book tickets call the box office on 0845 6430808 or visit www.farnworthlittletheatre.co.uk.