THE classic comedy of manners and mistaken identity, Arsenic and Old Lace, is being staged by the Colwall Players.

This old favourite, about funny goings-on in a guesthouse run by two loveable old ladies, is set in Brooklyn, New York, and is a fast-paced and sharply written play.

As well as being a classic play, it was also a classic film, starring Cary Grant.

"It's brilliantly written and very, very funny," said Adrian Mealing, of Colwall Players.

The production runs at Colwall Village Hall from Thursday to Saturday, October 28-30.

New York cops, cousins and chaos lurk beneath a thin veneer of good manners and cut glass decanters. The old ladies are not what they seem.

"Thuggery and skulduggery are never far away. This isn't, despite the title, a gentle, country house-style comedy," said Adrian.

"It's fast and sharp and clever," he said, adding that director Andy Howie had given the production a real feel of the New York streets.

"Rehearsals are going well. We've got a really vigorous and talented group and it should be a cracking production," said Adrian.

The seemingly loveable old ladies are being played by Angela Meredith and Dianne Lloyd.

The play was written by Joseph Kesselring and was first staged on Broadway with the famous Boris Karloff as the bad guy.

Each of the three performances start at 7.30pm and tickets are available from Goodwin's Estate Agents in Colwall. They cost £6.50 for adults and £3 for children.