FOR a society established under the name of the St Peter’s Players in 1945, NOMADS (Norton and Malton Amateur Dramatics Society) might have been expected to gradually faze out.

After all, nationally audience attendance for local drama productions have plummeted. For those who still go to the local theatre it is musicals and concerts that have gained popularity - perhaps as a result of the popularity of television talent shows.

Up and down the land, traditional drama companies that once thrived as an important necessity in the centre of any community, have toppled, lacking the funds and attendance to stay afloat.

Having made it so far and with no signs of giving up, NOMADS might be forgiven for taking the easy path, after all, they have recently built up a reputation for comedy and now have a following for such. Last year they performed Ayckbourn's Neighbourhood Watch to positive reactions.

But this year NOMADS have decided to push the envelope and step outside of their comfort zone. They are producing a dark thriller, similar in its style to midsummer murders, called Nightmare, a risky gamble on a hard-won anniversary year: one they hope will pay off.

Can they? Well, the script is certainly on their side. As an elderly romance writer slowly withers away from illness, her health is the least of her problems. A scrounging nephew after her money and a doctor and nurse team who are not everything they seem, by grim providence come to visit her lonely, windswept house out on the moors. And when her friend and her mentally ill son are afflicted by tragedy, the depth of the oncoming horror begins to unveil in an unexpected and tragic manner.

It is indeed a gripping tale. And as NOMADS reach the end of their rehearsals, their characters begin to stir to life.

Will they remain among the very few traditional drama societies in this country - and, even if they can, can they continue to surprise and take their drama in unexpected directions and attempt various genres?

That all depends on the success of their efforts - in other words, it all depends on the enthralment of the audience.

The show can be seen from tomorrow (Thursday) until Saturday at Norton College. Tickets cost £7 and are available from the Milton Rooms box office on 01653 696240.