THE next production by St Paul's Players in Adlington is bound to be a class act ­— in more ways than one.

The theatre company is opening its new season with a stage version of Roy Clarke's Keeping Up Appearances, which made Patricia Routledge a household name with her hilarious depiction of character Hyacinth Bucket ­— pronounced Bouquet.

The play originally aired on BBC One from 1990 to 1995. The central character is an eccentric and snobbish lower middle class social climber, Hyacinth Bucket, who insists that her surname is pronounced “Bouquet”.

The sitcom follows Hyacinth in her attempts to prove her social superiority, and to gain standing with those she considers upper class. Her attempts are constantly hampered by her lower class extended family, whom she is desperate to hid

Director Jane Harrison says she is "thrilled" to be directing another stage version of a popular television sit-com, especially after the huge success of recent productions included The Vicar of Dibley, which won a Bolton Amateur Theatre Societies Award and Are You Being Served?

She said that her cast are doing" a sterling job at recreating the much loved and well known characters" and "working hard to ensure that the audience don’t go away disappointed".

Given the reaction to her previous production based on much-loved television series, the audience will be delighted with the production.

Rehearsals started mid-May and the play opens in a week's time.

Society Chairman, Graham Cohen said: "The society thrived on bringing new productions to the stage.

"It shows our ambition and versatility."

He added: "The cast are doing an excellent job and all members of the society are working hard behind the scenes to ensure that this production maintains and indeed increases our high standards."

The cast includes new faces and old, some who have returned to join the award-winning theatre company.

Starring in Keeping Up Appearances is Siobhan EdgeEmmet as Hyacinth , Keiron Garlick as Emmet, Gael Finch as Liz, David Greenfield at Onslow, Judith Armstrong as Daisy, Andrew Turton as Milly, Libby Burke as Rose and Ruth Jones at Mrs Debner.

The show ruins from Wednesday, September 4 to Saturday, September 7.

Tickets can be bought by ringing 01204 407784 or online at ticketsource.co.uk/stpaulsplayers.

n As the curtains come up on the the new theatre season, audiences in Bolton can expect a lot of drama ­— from musicals, including Oliver, comedy ,as in Keeping Up With Appearances , and drama such as Agatha Christie's The Unexpected Guest.