PLOTTING the death of your wife may be something some people have had fleeting thoughts about once in their marriages, but long-suffering author Walter Bryce has gone a bit further than that.

‘Death by natural causes’ is the verdict that he is hoping a coroner will give on the demise of his depressed wife, Celia, as he plans her ‘suicide’ with his mistress, Angie using the odourless, tasteless, all-natural poison invented by Vincent.

This could be the plot of a typical thriller, full of suspense and unexpected twists, but the play Natural Causes, performed by the Swan Theatre Amateur Company (STAC) at the Swan’s Vesta Tilley Studio, at the Swan Theatre, Worcester, which plays its final three performances tonight (Thursday), tomorrow (Friday), and Saturday, is in fact a black comedy, full of mistaken identities, hilarious consequences and lots of laughs.

Director, Sue Smith said: “The plot may be rather unusual but the play is so well-written by Eric Chappell that the comedy develops from the relationships between the five characters, which change as the play progresses. There are some very funny lines and almost farcical moments as the audience waits to find out who, if anyone, will fall victim to Vincent’s deadly potion.”

The cast includes Sue Hawkins, Jane Lush, Tony Childs, John Lines and Dave Bonnick, who is making a welcome return to the company after a gap of 16 years.

The Saturday performance is a matinee as the cast is also performing an excerpt from the play at the Swan’s 50th Anniversary Show – A Celebration of Worcester’s Talent – on the Saturday evening.

For tickets, call the Worcester Live box office on 01905 611427.