Out of Order had a long run at London’s Shaftesbury Theatre and starred Donald Sinden and Michael Williams, husband of Academy Award winning actress Judy Dench.

Richard Willey (played by Dan Shaunessy), a junior Labor minister, plans to spend the night in Suite 648 at the four star Westminster Hotel, London, with Jane Worthington (Ashlyn Horder).

Jane is one of the opposition’s junior secretaries and Richard is using the opportunity of an all-night Commons sitting to spend a special night alone with her.

Unsurprisingly, things start to go disastrously wrong early on with hilarious results. When expecting only to handle Jane’s beautiful body, Richard (or Dickie as he likes Jane to call him) discovers the body of a man trapped in the suite’s unreliable sash window.

Desperately trying to get out of what has suddenly become an extremely sticky situation, Richard summons his trusty Parliamentary private secretary, George Pigden (Alex Simpson), to the hotel to sort things out.

Maitland Repertory Theatre’s first play of its 2018 season is a gleefully funny farce written by Ray Cooney.  Audiences may remember other Ray Cooney plays – Run for Your Wife, Caught in the Net and Funny Money.

Director Robert Comber has brought together an excellent cast of both experienced actors and newcomers to Maitland Repertory Theatre featuring Colin Delaney as The Manager, Robert Comber as The Waiter, Sharon Allen as The Maid, Declan Johnson as A Body,  Matt Scoles as Ronnie Worthington, Amanda Woolford as Pamela and Emma Campbell as Gladys, a nurse.

Ticket prices are $17 (concession) and $22 (full).  Bookings can be made online at www.maitlandreptheatre.org or at Maitland Visitor Information Centre on 4931 2800 (10am – 3pm daily).

The play opens at Maitland Repertory Theatre on Wednesday February 7, and continues until Sunday February 25, on Friday and Saturday evenings with two Sunday matinees.

The audience is invited to celebrate the play’s opening on February 7 with complimentary wine and cheese refreshments served from 7:30 pm.

Tickets can be purchased at Maitland Visitors’ Centre or on Maitland Repertory’s website.