A MUCH-LOVED comedy classic with a twist is heading to Salisbury Playhouse.

Compton Mackenzie’s tale of shipwreck, contraband and the golden nectar, Whisky Galore comes to Salisbury Playhouse next week.

The islanders of Great and Little Todday are dismayed to find their whisky supply dwindling as the UK government diverts it to the Americans, in an attempt to get them to support the British war effort. The supply looks to be running out until a cargo of 50,000 bottles is shipwrecked nearby.

Isabel Ford said: “It is based on a real life story. The people of the island decide to outwit the officials and the government and anyone who is going to stop them. They are going to take all the whisky and hide it in different parts of the island. This actually happened in the Second World War.

“You have this whole community working together to hide the whisky to make sure they outwit the authorities.”

Isabel plays Captain Wagget who is in charge of the Home Guard and adds: “The islanders don’t like him very much and find him very pompous. He is an Englishman who’s come to boss them around and they don’t like him at all. It is great fun [to play].”

This new production, set in 1955, is a tribute to the all-female theatre companies of the post-war years and centres around The Palla Player as they play all the characters in this adaptation of Mackenzie’s classic novel.

Sally Armstrong, Lila Clements, Therese Raquin, Isabel Ford, Christine Mackie, Alicia McKenzie, Joey Parsad and Shuna Snow complete the all-female cast.

Christine Mackie said: “It is affectionate telling of a much-loved classic with the twist of course being an all women company which is something of an homage to The Palla Players.

“For people who know the story and love it there is a new twist because there are some women and for other people who are completely fresh to it it is an unusual opportunity to see so many women on stage telling a really good comic tale.”

The tour ends its run in the city. Isabel said: “It is a lovely place to end the tour. It is lovely for our director as well, Kevin Shaw, who lives in Salisbury. I think he will feel immensely proud where we are finishing. It will definitely be a highlight of the tour.”

Whisky Galore runs Monday until June 30. For tickets call 01722 320333.