THE Garrick is going dark with a psychological thriller Night Must Fall.

Directed by Carolanne Connolly, the Emlyn Williams play runs at the ACE Centre, Nelson, from Wednesday, November 28 to Saturday, December 1.

The three central characters are the self-pitying elderly Mrs Bramson, her put-upon niece Olivia, and the charming - yet mysterious - Danny, who is the father of Mrs Bramson’s young maid Dora’s unborn child.

A spokesman for the Garrick said: “On hearing of Dora’s situation, Mrs Bramson summons Danny to meet her so that she can persuade him to marry Dora.

“However, she is so charmed by him that she employs him as her private assistant instead “Olivia is convinced that Danny is not all he seems to be. Her suspicions seem to be confirmed when a local beauty is reported missing from the village. Olivia and Hubert subsequently find a picture of this woman and Danny together, buried among Danny’s belongings.

“The plot is further complicated by the arrival of Belsize, an officer from Scotland Yard, who comes to question Olivia and Danny about the missing woman - setting in in motion a train of events which, with many twists and turns, will keep the audience on the edge of their seats until the end.

“For this gripping play, the director has assembled a very strong cast that includes two new faces and some actors who will be more familiar to Garrick audiences.”

Playing Mrs Bramson is Marie Cassidy, last seen in the company’s production of Cranford, with Richard Holley as Danny.

Garrick newcomers Claire St Pierre and Andrew Marsden play Olivia and Hubert, with previous experience with Blackburn Drama Club, Rossendale AOS and Todmorden AOS betweem them.

  • Night Must Fall, The Garrick, The ACE Centre, Nelson, November 28 to December 1.

Tickets cost £9, £6 for students and under 16s, from 01282 661080. Season tickets for The Garrick are available from Martin Chadwick on 01282 439997.