Wildgoose Theatre, York’s newest amateur drama group, makes its debut with Joe Orton’s farce Entertaining Mr Sloane at the Upstage Centre Theatre, 41 Monkgate, York, from Wednesday to Saturday.

The group was formed earlier this year by co-artistic directors Andy Love and Martyn Hunter, both stalwarts of several of York’s drama groups.

“We aim to present high quality, challenging and entertaining amateur theatre in and around York,” says Andy. “We’ll be presenting at least two plays each year in York’s smaller theatrical spaces.”

“In choosing Entertaining Mr Sloane, a piece that, as far as we know, hasn’t been performed in York for at least 20 years, we believe we’re staging a true modern classic, rich in dark humour and drama,” says Martyn.

In Orton’s anarchic comedy, set in 1963, Kath lives with her ailing father, Kemp, in a forgotten corner of London. She has met Mr Sloane, a charismatic and beautiful young man, in the library, and the play opens with Kath showing him around her house.

Mr Sloane agrees to move in as her lodger, whereupon Kemp believes he recognises Sloane, necessitating Sloane to use all his guile to hide his murky past.

When Kath’s brother, Ed, arrives, he is instantly smitten by Sloane, and so begins the battle for Sloane’s affection, love and, indeed, life.

Andy is in the director’s seat for Wildgoose’s debut. “I’m pleased to be working with a very talented acting team,” he says.

Martyn will be joined on stage by his real-life wife, Jeanette, the pair having last performed together in May in Rowntree Players’ production of the Alan Ayckbourn comedy How The Other Half Loves. This time they play Ed and Kath respectively, while the role of Mr Sloane goes to Toby Gordon, fresh from his appearance as Hotspur in York Shakespeare Project’s Henry IV Part 1 in the summer.

Richard Easterbrook completes the cast as Kemp, working with Andy once more after starring in his production of Tom Stoppard’s Heroes for Rowntree Players last October.

Tickets for the 7.30pm evening performances and next Saturday’s 2.30pm matinee cost £11, concessions £9, on 01904 623568 or online at yorktheatreroyal.co.uk