IN 1828 Mary Howitt published a poem whose opening line is: "Will you walk into my parlour? said the spider to the fly..Tis the prettiest parlour that ever you did spy...

This analogy of a spider and a fly is what you get with Ilminister Entertainment Society's production of Dangerous Obsession by NJ Crisp.

It delivers a tangled tale of intrigue, division and divide coupled with a fabrication of lies and deceit.

The play is set in a conservatory of a modern house in the Home Counties. Sally is relaxing quite unaware she is being watched.

The stranger called John talks his way into the house to meet Sally and her husband Mark.

But why is he there? What does he want? What is his visit all about and how does in concern Sally and Mark?

The IES heighten and tighten the mystery, turning it up, ratcheting it up but by bit until....the reveal.

The play is a three handed act as there are only three characters hence three actors. Sally is played by Stella Davies; her husband Mark is played by Mick Glynn and the third role of John is played by David Goodall.

Chard & Ilminster News:

This triumvirate of actors cast their own spell on the audience as they unwrap the mystery like a game of pass the parcel.

Every line is like passing the parcel and every time the music stopped or in this case another layer of information was revealed, another layer of paper was taken off the box.

The surprises and revelations keep coming thick and fast.

You might be able to work some details of the plot as it unfolds but my advice would be to sit back and enjoy the play.

Dangerous Obsession is at the Warehouse Theatre in Ilminister from Wednesday, October 25 to Saturday, October 28.

Tickets cost £10 (students £5) and can be bought online at thewarehousetheatre.org.uk or in person from Harrimans Menswear, Silver Street, Ilminister.