A theatre director has called repertory theatre "exhausting and terrifying" as actors prepare to juggle multiple roles at a seaside venue.
Debbie Thompson, director of Sheringham Little Theatre, is preparing for a summer season of fast-paced repertory theatre at one of the few remaining venues to keep the tradition alive.
Sheringham’s six-week programme will feature comedy, mystery and music, all powered by a seven-strong professional cast and a dedicated backstage crew.
Ms Thompson said: "It’s exhausting, terrifying, very pressured, and you really have to work hard.
"But it is the best way to learn after coming out of drama school – doing so many parts in such a short space of time.
"With a West End show you have six weeks of lead-in, plus a week of previews, so by opening night you know the show so well.
"In rep you get a few days."
Cast members will rehearse one play during the day while performing another in the evening.
They must be ready to rotate through multiple productions as the season progresses.
Despite its demands, Ms Thompson remains a passionate advocate for the format.
She said there are only a handful of rep venues left, mostly along the east Anglian coast.
She said: "We are proud to be among them.
"Our audiences love traditional rep as part of their traditional seaside holiday.
"It remains an important training ground for actors, and backstage people from writers to stage crew and costumes."
Director Simon Thompson, who began his career in rep before moving into directing, said the tight turnaround requires versatile people who can make decisions and changes quickly.
Actor Rachel Cummins said it was a "brilliant experience where, as an actor, you have to make bold choices quickly, work well in a short rehearsal period, and throw yourself in."
Sheringham Little Theatre’s summer season opens on July 29.
For tickets and more information on the season's plays visit www.sheringhamlittletheatre.com or call the box office on 01263 822347.
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