Scarborugh theatre double bill focuses on romance at the seaside (From Gazette & Herald)

Jane Thornton’s Lost and John Godber’s Found, Stephen Joseph Theatre, various dates between June 29 and September 1

9:10am Wednesday 20th June 2012 in What's on

THEY’LL be rolling out the red carpet at the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough when the world premieres of Jane Thornton’s comedy Lost and John Godber’s play Found are performed at the venue.

Lost and Found are two short plays set in Scarborough which stand alone and are interconnected.

Lost takes place on the first day of the summer season when Tom and Chelsea start holiday jobs at the Court Hotel. They love their work, they could watch what goes on all day, especially Len and Betty, whose 50-year-old marriage has run aground.

Meanwhile, Found is set on the last night of the summer season. Tom and Chelsea’s holiday job is now a distant memory.

There’ll be no more nights on the town, beer at the beach huts and surfing on the sea, as he goes back to university and she’s found on the dole.

The Court Hotel brought them together, but ambition will pull them apart.

“We wanted to write two plays set in Scarborough as over time we’ve become fans of the town and especially of the Stephen Joseph Theatre,” said John Godber, who is married to Jane Thornton.

“We also wanted to write something which you could either see individually and it made sense or see both plays and it made double the sense.”

Jane added: “The plays echo each other in that one relationship has existed for years and another is very new.

“I think it’s good to examine the two of them side by side and look at the hope in one and the loss in the other.”

John Godber is one of the most performed writers in the English language.

He has won numerous awards for his plays, including a Laurence Olivier Award and seven Los Angeles Critics’ Circle Awards.

His plays include Bouncers, Up ‘n’ Under, April In Paris and Teechers and he has recently established the John Godber Company.

Jane Thornton’s writing credits include Say It With Flowers, I Want That Hair and Wuthering Heights.

Together, the husband and wife team wrote Shakers and Sold.

Lost and Found will be performed on various dates between June 29 and September 1, both separately and as a double bill at lunchtimes, matinees and in the evening.

The two plays are presented in association with the John Godber Company and Theatre Royal Wakefield and, following their run at the SJT, they will tour the UK.

Tickets cost between £7.50 and £17.50. Phone the box office on 01723 370541 or book online at www.sjt.uk.com