A classic of American theatre is set to be toured to theatre and villages halls by an acclaimed local theatre company.

Diss Mercury: Cathy Gill as Maggie in Open Space Theatre production of Cat On a Hot Tin Roof touring along the Norfolk Suffolk border from Diss to Lowestoft. Pictures: Mike AllmeyCathy Gill as Maggie in Open Space Theatre production of Cat On a Hot Tin Roof touring along the Norfolk Suffolk border from Diss to Lowestoft. Pictures: Mike Allmey (Image: Mike Allmey)

Cat On a Hot Tin Roof, the classic play by Tennessee Williams, will be toured for eight performances along the Norfolk-Suffolk border between April 5 and 27, by Open Space Theatre, which is based at Wingfield Barns, near Eye.

Williams' searing, poetic story of a family's fight for survival is a 20th century masterpiece. The play was memorably into a film in 1958, starring Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman.

A family gathers to celebrate the birthday of cotton plantation owner 'Big Daddy' Pollitt. But the scorching heat is almost as oppressive as the lies that are told.

His son, Brick, and daughter-in-law, Maggie, dance around the lies, secrets and sexual tensions that threaten to destroy their marriage. With the future of the family at stake, which version of the truth is real – and which will win out?

Diss Mercury: Tim Hall as Big Daddy in Open Space Theatre production of Cat On a Hot Tin Roof touring along the Norfolk Suffolk border from Diss to Lowestoft. Pictures: Mike AllmeyTim Hall as Big Daddy in Open Space Theatre production of Cat On a Hot Tin Roof touring along the Norfolk Suffolk border from Diss to Lowestoft. Pictures: Mike Allmey (Image: Mike Allmey)

Open Space artistic director David Green, who is also directing the production, said: 'In the era of Trump and Brexit, this play, written nearly 70 years ago, is very topical in that the story unfolds amidst a web of fake news and lies.'

Mr Green, who studied theatre direction at the University of East Anglia, spent two years with the RoughCast Theatre Company before forming Open Space in 2008. It specialises in offers fresh takes on works by well-known contemporary drama to issue-based plays by new writers.

His previous directing credits include other great American plays including A Streetcar Named Desire and The Glass Menagerie, also by Tennessee Williams, and All My Sons and Broken Glass by Arthur Miller.

The production opens at Wingfield Barns on April 5, before heading to Diss Corn Hall on April 6; Laxfield Village Hall on April 13; the Seagull Theatre, Lowestoft, on April 13; Beccles Public Hall on April 19; Bungay Fisher Theatre on April 20; Hoxne Village Hall on April 26; The Cut, Halesworth on April 27.

Diss Mercury: Yves Green as Big Mamma and Darren France as Brick in Open Space Theatre production of Cat On a Hot Tin Roof touring along the Norfolk Suffolk border from Diss to Lowestoft. Pictures: Mike AllmeyYves Green as Big Mamma and Darren France as Brick in Open Space Theatre production of Cat On a Hot Tin Roof touring along the Norfolk Suffolk border from Diss to Lowestoft. Pictures: Mike Allmey (Image: Mike Allmey)

All performances are at 7.30pm. Tickets £12 and £9.50 concessions (under 18, over 65). More booking details at openspacetheatre.org.uk