A thriller by SIMON WILLIAMS

The Mill is delighted to be producing its fifth play from the pen of the extremely talented actor, director and writer - Simon Williams. Simon is probably best known as Captain James Bellamy in the television series UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS. He has been just as successful as a writer and has kept Mill audiences entertained and thrilled for many years. And he doesn't disappoint with this ingenious story that will keep you on the edge of your seats until the last spine-chilling conclusion. In an isolated house on the cliffs of north Cornwall the sibling rivalry between identical twins Max and Ashley Hennessy is coming to a murderous climax. As children they were always up to shenanigans - switching identities to create mischief. They both know one of them must die. But trapped in his wheelchair Ashley knows the odds are now against him, he is in mortal danger - but does Detective Inspector Fergus believe him? And can he trust the mysterious Nurse Malahide who has been employed to protect him? Poor Lalla, the twins' eccentric old aunt is torn between the two boys: which of them is the victim and which the psychopath? As a force ten Atlantic gale threatens to plunge the old house into darkness news comes of a tragic accident on the cliffs and Lalla has to face the possibility that even she is unable to tell which of the twins is which. Perhaps they have done it once again - pulled off the final 'switch.'

The action of the play takes place in an isolated house on the north coast of Cornwall on a stormy night in November.

ACT I - Dusk

ACT II - Later that same night

ANNA BARRY (Lalla) Most recent stage work: LIFE: Soho Theatre, London and Edinburgh Festival. DRIVING MISS DAISY: English Theatre, Frankfurt. PEGGY FOR YOU; Comedy theatre, London. YOU CAN SEE THE MOON: Tristan Bates, London, BED AMONG THE LENTILS, Northcott Theatre, Exeter. Radio: Two plays for BBC World Service: RUPA LUCIEN and YOU CAN SEE THE MOON. TV: THE CHATTERLY AFFAIR, CASUALTY and THE BILL Early stage work includes seasons at the Old Vic, Leicester , Leatherhead, Leeds Playhouse and Edinburgh Lyceum. Other TV work includes: 4 episodes of DR WHO; 25 episodes of GENERAL HOSPITAL; 5 episodes of THE STRAUSS FAMILY: several series which include NO HIDING PLACE, VILLAINS and many plays. She played Lady Ottaline Morell in the award winning MAD JACK. She has directed over fifty productions in regional theatres in England (including several at The Mill!) and for three years was an Associate Director at the Edinburgh Lyceum. She performed her first specially commissioned one-person play, MISTRESS MINE - WIFE TO MR SHAKESPEARE, at the Edinburgh Festival subsequently taking it on to Canada where she was the first English actor to appear at the now famous Edmonton Festival and where she won Best Actress award. Audio/Visual work: numerous voice overs; film dubbing. For the BBC radio drama; story reading; WOMAN'S HOUR serial and seven years reading the letters on POINTS OF VIEW. Dubbed many of the BBC's TV series PEOPLE'S CENTURY.

BECKY HINDLEY (Nurse Malahide) Becky trained at E15. Theatre: MR A'S AMAZING MAZE PLAYS, IMPROBABLE FICTION, PLAYING GOD, MY SISTER SADIE, THE JOLLIES (Stephen Joseph Theatre); KITTY AND KATE (NEW VIC THEATRE); MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING (Salisbury Playhouse); HOUSE AND GARDEN (Northampton); COMIC POTENTIAL (Lyric Theatre, West End); DEATH TRAP (No.1 Tour); SILLY COW (Bolton Octagon); NO NAME (Eastern Angles Company); CAPTAIN OF THE BIRDS (Young Vic Studio); DANNY AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA (Rosemary Branch Theatre). Television: IN DEEP, PEOPLE LIKE US, THE PETER PRINCIPLE, THE BILL, HOLBY CITY, DOCTORS, CASUALTY, CORONATION STREET. Radio: Becky was a member of the Radio Drama Company. MURDER IN MESOPOTAMIA, DUMB WITNESS (Dir. Enyd Williams); OUR KATH (Dir. Janet Whitaker);DON CAMILLO (Dir. Chris Wallace); A TOWN LIKE ALICE (Dir. David Blount, Silver Sony award); UNDER THE TABLE (Dir. Eoin O'Callaghan); WHISTLE DOWN THE WIND (Dir. Pauline Harris); SEA SYMPHONY FOR PIANO AND CHILD (Dir. Claire Grove); THEO (Dir. Tracey Neale); TWICE BRIGHTLY (Dir. Steven Canny).

SIMON WILLIAMS (Director/Playwright) Simon is a Geminian baby-boomer, the son of actor playwrights Hugh and Margaret Williams, he left school with pitifully few 'o' levels but plenty of enthusiasm. He trained for the theatre in weekly rep and has gone on to work with a wide variety of people: Celia Johnson, Peter Sellars, Glenda Jackson, David Jason, Marianne Faithful, Eric Morecombe, Joan Collins, Victoria Wood and Michael Crawford. Probably best know for his role as the hapless James Bellamy in the award winning UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS, he has played Shakespeare, Wilde, Shaw, Pinter, Coward, Rattigan, he has also been on COUNTDOWN, CALL MY BLUFF and JUST A MINUTE (the scariest thing in his life). Later this year he can be seen on ITV in DIAMOND GEEZER and in THE COMMANDER with Amanda Burton. On BBC 2 he will be appearing in SENSITIVE SKIN with Joanna Lumley. He has written two novels, TALKING OSCARS and KILL THE LIGHTS which both made the best seller list and five stage plays which have been successfully produced at The Mill. He is a popular after dinner speaker, a keen walker, a lousy tennis player and is hooked on Sudukos. He loves cricket, collie crosses, and Matt cartoons. He hates traffic calming, reality TV, bendy buses and bad manners. He is proud to be President of Nettlebed Cricket Club and of The Henley AODS. He is Vice President of The Actors' Charitable Trust. He lives locally and is married to Lucy Fleming and has three grandchildren: Rafe, Willa and Ella. JACQUELINE HUTSON (Set Designer) Jacqueline Hutson trained in Theatre Design at Wimbledon School of Art. Previous designs for The Mill include:, THE RAINMAKER, THE MAINTENANCE MAN, THE LITTLE HUT, PASTIMES, THE BUSINESS OF MURDER, KISS MY AUNT, NOEL & GERTIE, BORN YESTERDAY, LOVE'S A LUXURY, LEND ME A TENOR, THE WAITING GAME, DON'T ROCK THE BOAT, DEAD GUILTY, WORM'S EYE VIEW, LAURA, A BEDFULL OF FOREIGNERS, SAY WHO YOU ARE, LAYING THE GHOST, THE PLEASURE OF HIS COMPANY, ONE FOR THE POT, THE PERFECT PENSION PLAN, KISS OF DEATH , DON'T DRESS FOR DINNER, WIFE BEGINS AT FORTY, DON'T JUST LIE THERE, SAY SOMETHING!, MAKE ME A MATCH, A SLIGHT HANGOVER, ALL FOR MARY, MOVE OVER MARKHAM, INSIDE JOB, BOYS WILL BE BOYS, THE FACE OF FEAR, STEPPING OUT, STRICTLY MURDER and recently IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY.