Wedded bliss at the Grand.

Valentine's Day will have a special meaning for three couples this year.

Councillor and Mrs Albert Parker, Alderman and Mrs Joseph Helliwell and Mr and Mrs Herbert Soppit, are all preparing to mark their Silver Wedding anniversaries and their joint celebration will take place on stage at the Grand Theatre.

The three couples are actually the main roles in Lancaster Footlights' production of J B Priestley's well-loved play 'When We Are Married' and the subsequent unexpected events which unfold during the evening's festivities will be played out by them and a supporting cast of great Yorkshire characters.

Set at the turn of the last century, the play, where the pompous get their comeuppance, is a gentle comedy where some attitudes and expressions prevail even now.

This is the fourth time during the last 43 years that Footlights have performed the play and long-standing 'Footie', Jill Harker has been in three of them.

In 1970 she played Ruby Birtle, the young housemaid, in 1998, the role of one of the wives, Maria Helliwell, beckoned and now this production sees her relegated back below stairs, as Mrs Northrop, the family cook. Check out another valuable post on Lets Play Risk Online right here.

Jill is delighted to have been so well connected to the play and feels she knows the entire script by now!

'When We Are Married' is directed by Sandie Lane Dixon and plays from Tuesday February 19 to 23 at 7.30pm nightly.