It’s Press Night of the highly anticipated Oldham Coliseum Theatre, Hull Truck Theatre and New Vic Theatre co-production Whisky Galore opening at the Coliseum, with Joey Parsad as Doris Sanderson.

The islanders of Great and Little Todday are dismayed to find their whisky supply dwindling as the UK government diverts the precious stuff to the Americans, in an attempt to bribe them into supporting the British war-effort. When the whisky runs out completely it seems like the end of the world…

But then a 50,000 whisky bottle cargo is shipwrecked close by the islands, and welcome relief seems to be at hand.

Conflict is guaranteed, however, once stuffy Paul Waggett of the Home Guard takes it upon himself to try to reinforce discipline and prevent the thirsty islanders from taking advantage of their apparent good fortune.

Meanwhile, as in the finest of Shakespearian comedies, two weddings are planned: one hinges on timid George Campbell finally finding the (Dutch?) courage to stand up to his disapproving mother; the other involves an English Officer’s love for the daughter of a leading whisky filcher.

This new production, set in 1955, is a tribute to the feisty, fearless all-female touring theatre companies of the post-war years. Under the dogmatic direction of the redoubtable Flora Bellerby, witness the Pallas Players – Win, Doris, Flora, Bea, Aileen, Connie and last-minute replacement Juliet – as they play all the hilarious and diverse characters from Mackenzie’s comedy classic, in an innovative and beguiling adaptation that breathes fresh life into a well-loved, internationally acknowledged masterpiece.