Village Idiot starring Mark Benton comes to Nottingham Playhouse

A raucous comedy centred around a family feud is the latest production commissioned by Nottingham Playhouse, which starts its run next week.

Village Idiot, by Samson Hawkins, is staged at the Playhouse from Saturday to March 25.

It stars Early Doors and Waterloo Road’s Mark Benton in a cast of six.

Townies have decided they want a lie in, so they’re building a new high-speed railway. The issue is, it’s going right through Barbara Honeybone’s house, and she’s having none of it.

Then there’s Harry, Barbara’s younger grandson, he’s not that bothered about trains, he’s only got eyes for Debbie Mahoney. But the only thing Barbara hates more than townies is the Mahoneys.

Welcome to Syresham, South Northamptonshire. It’s not quite the Cotswolds, but it does have Syresham’s Got Talent, the headline event of the village fair.

There will be songs, dancing, magic, drag, a bit of wrestling, and Kevin’s doing a meat raffle(vegetarian option ­— two tins of Strongbow).

Samson said: “I hope it captures rural life in a way that will be recognisable to people from that background and enlightening to those not. It’s a message from the country people to the townies, a defence of who we are, and maybe even a challenge for the future!”

Village Idiot is a Ramps on The Moon production, the pioneering initiative committed to putting deaf and disabled artists and audiences at the centre of their work.

All performances, which have an age guidance of 14-plus, will be captioned, and performed in a relaxed environment.