A WITTY theatre company will bring a tale of faith, murder, larceny, corruption and desecration of those departed to the stage of a popular arts centre.

Dramatic Pause Productions decided on performing something completely different compared to their very successful and gripping production of King Lear in the Redoubt Fort.

They are returning to the stage of Harwich Arts and Heritage Centre with a darkly-comic masterpiece - Joe Orton’s classic farce, the Loot.

Even 50 years after Joe Orton’s death, the play has lost none of its savage wit.

Orton’s shock tactics alert us to society’s hypocrisy in which greed, gain and lust are masked by religious piety and veneration of authority.

The uproarious slapstick meets dubious morals as two friends stash the proceeds of a bank robbery in an occupied coffin, attempting to hide the spoils from a psychopathic policeman, who is a gold-digging serial killer of a nurse and of a grieving widower.

Peter Davis, artistic director at Harwich Festival, said: “Live theatre is very important to the Harwich Arts and Heritage Centre and we want to attract theatre companies and local drama groups.

“In the last few months we have had performances from Eastern Angles and Packing Shed Theatre and we also have Anthony Roberts, from Colchester Arts Centre, coming with a Christmas Carol in December.

“We also believe that theatre should be challenging and thought provoking as well as entertaining and the latest production from Dramatic Pause will not disappoint.

“After their previous performance of King Lear, this production will show the versatility of our resident group.”

The production will be on stage for three nights from Thursday, November 21, until Saturday, November 23, at the Harwich Arts and Heritage Centre, in Main Road, Dovercourt at 7.30pm.

Tickets cost £8 for adults and £5 for concessions and can be reserved by messaging the Dramatic Pause Production’s Facebook page at facebook.com/dramaticpauseproductions/ or purchased from the Harwich box office or bought on the night at the door.