Old Buckenham Players will perform Alan Ayckbourns Comic Potential from May 17-19.

Old Buckenham Players launch themselves into their next show this month with Alan Ayckbourn’s Comic Potential.

It is a depressing vision for an actor: a world, not more than 50 years into the future, in which robot ‘actoids’ have supplanted humans in soap operas.

The central character is a female actoid, JC-F-333, or Jacie Triplethree, who sets herself apart from her fellow robots by displaying a independence of mind and a sense of humour. These virtues reinvigorate Chance Tate, an embittered old comedy-film director fallen on hard times, who finds himself directing actoid hospital soaps.

Into this world comes Adam, a young idealistic writer wanting to resurrect the world of traditional comedy. Captivated by the lovely Jacie they elope with comic consequences.

Ayckbourn’s play is a satire on the world of television: a place where actors are androids, where original ideas go through a complicated development process and where accountants rule.

But this is also a play about the death of comedy intertwined with a love story.

Performances will be at Old Buckenham Village Hall on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, May 17-19, at 7.30pm. Tickets at £6 available from Old Buckenham Stores, Nuts ‘n’ Bolts in Attleborough or 01603 810373.