THE floods which devastated West Cumbria more than three months ago are being blamed for the cancellation of the scheduled March production by The Playgoers Club of Workington.

The floods forced a seven-week postponement of the big end-of-year comedy, Fawlty Towers, which didn't hit the boards until January 18 - and that in turn has made it impossible to go ahead with John B. Keane's powerful Irish drama  The Field, which should have opened at the Theatre Royal on March 16.

Keane, who died in 2002, is pictured alongside.

"Our long-standing problem is a shortage of male actors," said Playgoers press officer Pat Brinicombe. "We needed them all for Fawlty Towers and we would need six for big roles in The Field - but because one production has now come on top of another, there's a big reluctance to step forward again for demanding parts. And that's very understandable.

"On top of that, experienced actors Ron Dickens and Morgan Sweeney, together with our grandson Joshua Brinicombe, who would have been making his debut, are all unavailable for their own reasons. This time, I'm afraid, the show doesn't go on."

 The Playgoers Club will resume their programme on May 4 with a whodunnit with a difference - Write Me a Murder by Frederick Knott. Ian Hinde will direct and preparations are already under way.

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