THIS fishy fantasy has its heart aligned with a fairytale.

It presents us with one woman's hope in which she dreams to believe she has somehow found love washed up on a beach.

But the love or fantasy in her head is not close to real life as it does not exist.

She has a dream of her love, a fairytale love which does not come with the pain of real love and the unrequited or rejection of a barren love.

The conundrum of a stranger found lying on the beach leaves a million questions unanswered.

Such as who is he? What does he want? Where has he come from? Where was he going? And how did he get there?

The mystery unfolds as we the audience watch the words fall off the script as each line is read.

At first I thought this play was an allegory like An Inspector Calls, ie the stranger represented something else? He was not as he appeared. Was he meant to symbolise anything?

Was he the 'stranger' like in so many Westerns who turn up out of the blue or is he like the stranger as played by Spencer Tracy in Bad Day at Black Rock?

While not wishing to give away the 'twist', he (this ship wrecked stranger) is a catalyst for change. He causes a spark in one of the Ladies in Lavender who believes he is her Prince, just like the one in her favourite fairytale the Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Anderson.

This is not so much a case of unrequited love or a love lost, rather a love which was never won.

The cast are spot on with their acting and keep the audience engrossed from start to finish.

The two Ladies in Lavender are Janet Middleton (Maggy Goodall) and Ursula Middleton (Irene Glynn).

Both bring the right touch to this cosy cluttered cocoa infused world of the two sisters who live together in their Cornish crochet knitted world complete with their dreams and losses.

They are ably supported by Dorcas (Ann Cook) who brings the comedy to her role and quips which add a touch of realism to the Shipping Forecast classical music world of the sisters.

The rest of the cast are Mick Glynn as Dr Mead; Michal Jurkowski who plays Andrzej the stranger washed up on the beach and Stella Davies who plays the mysterious woman-Olga Danilova

The set is cleverly designed as it utilises the space needed while not diminishing the enjoyment for the audience.

It was split into a garden which has a path leading to the beach, a living room, a bedroom, a kitchen off stage and a beach.

Ilminster Entertainment Society has scored a winner with this production which is directed by Louise Adams.

If you need to tear yourself away from the World Cup football, then score a goal by going along to watch this production at The Warehouse Theatre.

The Ladies in Lavender is on stage each evening at 7.30pm from July 4-7.

Tickets £10 adults, £5 students.

Buy online at thewarehousetheatre.org.uk or in person at Harrimans Menswear, Silver Street, Ilminster.