YES, that’s Greece, not Grease … the award-winning Mischief company comes to Bath Theatre Royal from Tuesday 26th to Saturday 30th May with the latest stage mayhem, a musical comedy which offers an (unlikely) explanation for the origins of acting.

Thespians, packed with comedy, chaos and choreography sure to have the audience aching with laughter, is the first musical created by Britain’s funniest theatre troupe (The Telegraph). Written by Jonathan Sayer (co-writer of The Play That Goes Wrong, Peter Pan Goes Wrong and The Comedy About A Bank Robbery) and Ed Zanders (musical director Mischief Movie Night) the show explores an area of Ancient Greece that has so far escaped the archaeologist’s trowel.

It is 534 BC. Greece’s smallest island is battling to avoid defeat in a nationwide prayer competition set up by a thin-skinned tyrant – where the loser is put to death. All is going dreadfully until Thespis accidentally invents acting, leading to the world’s first play and the origins of theatre as we know it!

Ancient Greece bursts into song, with a thrilling plot, a love story worthy of Aphrodite, and enough laughter to fill the Acropolis. Thespians is an uplifting, hilarious, and timely reminder of the power of empathy and stepping into someone else’s sandals.

The cast includes Allie Dart as Rhapsodes, Claire-Marie Hall as Poly, James Spence as Thespis, Luke Latchman as Atlas, Marc Pickering as Adonis, Matt Cavendish as Bard;, Mia Jerome as Melampus and Rhys Taylor as The Tyrant.

Photographs by Mark Senior