TWO great plays - one in a 12th century church with Saxon foundations and the other in a tent outside a boarded-up, graffiti-covered, 400-seater theatre.

Where could this be happening? Amazingly, it's Farnham - the location for Charley's Aunt by Brandon Thomas and Our Town by Thornton Wilder.

This is a very different scene from Farnham 1974 when the newly-built Redgrave Theatre opened.

The New Farnham Repertory Company was formed five years ago to bring professional repertory theatre back to the town and to save the Redgrave Theatre from demolition by Waverley Borough Council, which is proposing to build a massive development on the site.

This is the NFRC's fourth season either under canvas, in the open air or in the beautifully refurbished St Andrew's Church, courtesy of the Rev Andrew Tuck and his congregation.

Despite the fact that it has a short season, only once a year, the company now has a regular following. The large cast of 10 professionals has performed with the company several times and is well-known to the local community and to all the talented voluntary actors who will be joining them.

Our Town by Thornton Wilder is well-suited for performance in a church. It is a marvellous family story from the cradle to the grave and will include a wedding scene, with the audience taking the part of the congregation for the hymn singing and the responses. There will not be a dry eye in the house!

Ben Warwick (pictured) - the son of acclaimed actress Hannah Gordon - who played Prince Hal in Henry IV Part 1 last season to great acclaim, will take the lead role of the stage manager in Our Town and Jack Chesney in Charley's Aunt.

Simon Cole, whose memorable portrayal of Sydney Carton in A Tale of Two Cities was also highly-praised by critics and audiences alike, will return to play Lord Fancourt Babberley and George Gibbs in the two respective productions.

The NFRC attracts the best actors, even without a theatre, proving that Farnham's proud theatrical heritage cannot be snuffed out or destroyed by a bulldozer.

Charley's Aunt will run from August 18 to 28, Our Town from September 8 to 18.

For further information, telephone Hannah Williams on 01256 322529 or fax 01256 333991.