THE first play of the new Rowntree Players season is John Godber's Happy Families.

Running at Joseph Rowntree Theatre in York from October 5 to 7, Godber's comedy is an affectionate portrait of an ordinary family struggling with change, bereavement and the generation gap.

On his graduation day in 1978, John looks back over his teenage years from 1967 to 1973, recalling all the embarrassments, tensions, joys and sorrows of family life in West Yorkshire. Now older and better educated, he finds himself alienated from his working-class family who cannot understand his growing intellect and theatrical aspirations.

John will be played by Andy Welch; his mother Dot by Lynn Marsh; his father John by Roy Powell; grandmother Liz by Chris Rigg; grandfather Jack by Peter Major.

Jeanette Feetenby stars as John's aunt Doris; Chris Swann is his other aunt, Edna; and two newcomers to the Players' ranks, Jane Piers and Rachel Drew, take the roles of Rebecca and Lyn.

Director Peter Walls says: "The choice of Happy Families for the opening play this season really follows on from the Rowntree Players - myself and a large part of the cast - putting on Godber's Salt Of The Earth six years ago.

"After that production we felt predisposed to John Godber, and this play has the same sort of themes although the dialogue is very different. It's disjointed dialogue, where what one character says has nothing to do with what another character has just said! That's an attraction, as it's a difficulty and a challenge!"

Tickets for the 7.30pm performances next Thursday to Saturday cost £5, concessions £4, and are available from the York Theatre Royal box office, tel 01904 623568, and on the door.

TICKETS TO WIN...

FRIDAY Night Fever has four pairs of tickets for readers to win for next Thursday's 7.30pm performance of Happy Families.

Question: Who is directing Rowntree Players' production of Happy Families?

Send your answer with your name, address and daytime phone number on a postcard to Charles Hutchinson, Happy Families Competition, Evening Press, 76-86 Walmgate, York, YO1 9YN. Winners will be the first four correct entries drawn next Wednesday morning.