Drama is a family affair

Drama buffs at an Alfreton church believe in keeping it in the family.
Eileen Robinson with her granddaughters Suzanna and Abigail.Eileen Robinson with her granddaughters Suzanna and Abigail.
Eileen Robinson with her granddaughters Suzanna and Abigail.

When seasoned performer Eleanor Robinson stars in a new comedy thriller at the Wesley Methodist Church, she will be joined by her granddaughters, schoolgirls Abigail and Suzanna Hobbs.

In “Dinner at Eight”, Eleanor plays a woman whose husband goes missing and Abigail and Suzanna play her two teenage daughters.

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It is not the first time that the sisters have appeared at the church.

Some years ago Abigail was carried on as a babe-in-arms in a production based on the life of Methodism founder John Wesley, and later the two girls shared a role in “A Little Child Shall Lead Them”, a two-night production of a play set before, during and after the Second World War.

But it is the girls’ first speaking role.

Producer David Hopkinson welcomed the girls, as well as another first-timer Susan Barker.

“We are always glad to recruit new faces and hope that they will become permanent cast members,” he said.

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“Dinner at Eight”, which has a cast of ten, will be performed on Thursday and Friday, August 11 and 12 at 7pm. Admission is free but there will be a charity collection.

David added: “The play starts off as a missing person mystery and ends as a who-dun-it. And there are lots of laughs along the way.”

The group has been staging performances at the church for over 25 years and now presents three productions a year – at Christmas, Easter and in the summer.