Gerry Parker: World-famous story transfers well to the stage

A good title is a great asset to a play, film or book and they do not come any better than They Shoot Horses, Don't They?.

As if to prove the point, Horace McCoy's story has already been a success in print as a short novel and on film starring Jane Fonda and Gig Young.

Less well-known is the stage version which is the next production between July 8 and 11 at the Backwell Playhouse.

It had long been an ambition of Terry Milton's to direct this stage version of They Shoot Horses,Don't They? but he was never able to find a script. A chance conversation in Bristol wardrobe services between James Helps and a customer from Essex led to information that Bob Charlton, an ex-colleague of James, had directed the play for Bubble Theatre and still had a script.

One read-through of the script convinced Terry Milton that he was right in believing that the story had transferred exceptionally well to the stage.

Although it is still set in California during the depression of the 1930s and has the cruel elements of reality TV with a touch of Roman Coliseum spectacle, there are quite a few differences between the film and stage show which is based much more on the novel than film.

The two drifters looking for Hollywood fame who end up in a dance marathon contest and the seedy Emcee who runs this none-too-honest competition are all there, but the likeable character played in the movie by Red Buttons has disappeared. In his place comes a cynical, somewhat racist, detective Lt Stenda who will be played by Doug Riddiford. Helen Coupe takes over the Jane Fonda mantle.

Sam Riddiford plays Robert Syverton, the young drifter she teams up with in order to enter the Dance Marathon.

The role of the seedy emcee goes to Andrew Milton who is joined by 14 couples all desperately looking to find a way out of their personal and financial problems.

Box office for They Shoot Horses, Don't They? is 01275392936.

Overlapping with the Backwell production is Kelvin Players' presentation in the Dairy Garden at Blaise Castle of The Taming of the Shrew.

More details of this open-air production which runs from July 7 to 11 next week.