The search is on for an actor to play the iconic role of Onslow in a production of Keeping Up Appearances to be performed at the Merlin Theatre this summer in Frome.

Project Play, which has successfully brought TV classics such as Vicar of Dibley, Allo Allo and last year's Dad's Army to local theatres, have now turned their sights to Keeping Up Appearances. The hugely successful BBC comedy starred Patricia Routledge as the snobby housewife Hyacinth Bucket - pronounced 'Bouquet' and ran from 1990 - 1995. Frome has now cast all the popular characters except for the part of vest wearing slob Onslow portrayed on TV by the late great Geoffrey Hughes. Onslow is everything his sister-in-law Hyacinth despises and threatens her social-climbing efforts. He is an overweight and unemployed man who earns his money through betting on horses, spends his time drinking beer, eating crisps and smoking cigarettes, and watching television. Onslow describes himself as "work-shy, bone idle, and out of condition" and has been known to ponder "the inconvenience of working." Whenever Onslow is unpleasantly surprised by something, such as running out of beer or being insulted, he usually retorts with his sarcastic catchphrase, "Oh, nice!" He habitually wears a baseball cap with the FH logo of New Zealand earth-moving and road construction company Fulton Hogan.

Project Play is a really friendly community theatre group and welcomes people who have never performed on stage before, so this could be your debut performance or maybe you are a regular at treading the boards! Remember you don't actually have to look like Geoffrey Hughes as costume, wigs and even padding can all be used to help create the look.

Rehearsals start in April and the show is at the Merlin Theatre Frome 1st - 6th August.

If you are interested please contact director Anne Dimery [email protected]