CLACTON Amateur Dramatic Society will be returning next week with the hilarious Wife After Death.

The group’s spring production will take place at the West Cliff Theatre from March 7 to 9.

After celebrating its 70th anniversary last year, the society has chosen to perform a modern play that had not before been seen at the West Cliff before.

A spokesman for the group said that after November’s homage to the First World War, The Accrington Pals, it was felt a comedy would be in order.

Director Vicky Tearle decided on Wife After Death, the most recent play by one of Britain’s foremost comedy writers, Eric Chappell.

He has been writing for stage and television since the 70s and is probably best known for his sitcoms, such as Rising Damp and Duty Free.

The play sees friends and colleagues gather to pay their last respects to comedian and national treasure Dave Thursby.

There’s Harvey, who wrote Dave’s material, Harvey’s wife Vi, Dave’s agent Kevin and his wife Jane.

Dave’s glamorous widow Laura has arranged a funeral to remember, complete with a horse-drawn hearse and an attendant dog.

An unfamiliar woman in flamboyant mourning clothes turns out to be Kay, Dave’s ex-wife from before he was famous, and a series of revelations end with Kevin throwing a drink into the coffin and all the guests asking themselves if they ever knew the real Dave.

A spokesman for the society said: “Wife After Death is a witty, sharp, modern sitcom style of play, first performed at the Theatre Royal, Brighton in 2010 with Tom Conti in the role of Harvey and Diane Fletcher as Vi.

“Clacton Amateur Dramatic Society have their own talented and hard-working cast and welcome David Thompson, fresh from directing their last production, to his first acting role with us.

“CADS wonderful team of set designers and builders have also worked tirelessly to produce a fabulous set.

“This production is, as always, a real team effort.”

The show runs on March 7, 8 and 9 at 7.30pm and there is also a Saturday matinee at 2.30pm.

Tickets, costing £10, are available from the theatre box office on 01255 433344.