Nimbys back in our backyard (From Stroud News and Journal)

Nimbys back in our backyard

STROUD-BASED ex-Royal Court writer Frank Hatt's successful romantic eco-comedy Not In My Back Yard returns to Stroud this weekend as part of the Wessex Actors Company's tenth anniversary tour.

The play is built on the stuff of (really rather familiar) local newspaper headlines - a by-pass through an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, an eco-house in a conservation area, wind turbines, canal restoration, yet another supermarket - as Daisy, Brian, Charlie and Anthony, get embroiled in skirmishes, alliances, sit-ins, passion, laughter and blossoming romance.

In spite of conflicting values and concerns, the four hope to find true love and a purpose in life, whilst confronting the bulldozers and standing up to insensitive authority. But when the gloves are off and the cards are on the table, they find that their personal environmental agendas are at odds with those of the others.

"When I wrote the play," said playwright Frank Hatt, "the Nympsfield turbine was the hot issue. I am amused to see that now there's a revival of the play, one issue appears to have died down but another of the issues I touched on (canal restoration) has come to the fore."

Not in my Back Yard is presented at The Space, Lansdown, Stroud on Saturday, May 3 at 7.30pm. Tickets are available from Moonflower on Stroud's High Street in advance or on the door.