The first episode of an on-stage "soap opera" will tour to rural Cumbrian villages in the coming weeks.

Professional actors Emma Rydal, Jane Dickens and Toby Gaffney, along with theatre practitioner and writer Jeff Wallcook, will be entertaining audiences in Brigham, Ullock, Ravenglass and Thursby, with this fresh concept in rural touring theatre.

Set in a fictitious, and somewhat heightened multi-purpose Community Arts and Resource Centre, Beyond the Boards is an episodic soap opera that will tour the county two to three times a year.

Each episode will be informed by the stories from the people and communities it performs in. As in many soap operas, each episode of the Arts Out West-backed Beyond the Boards will finish with a "cliffhanger" moment, but the audience will be given the opportunity to voice their thoughts and ideas on what they think should, could, will, and shouldn’t happen in the next episode.

For this first episode, which has its first airing this weekend, this pilot introduces four of the central characters, as they prepare for the impending auditions of the community production "Macbirth", in a desperate attempt to manage and save their dilapidating hall.

The arrival of an unexpected visitor plunges the staff and community into creative and calamitous action.

Think Hi-de-Hi! meets EastEnders, with a healthy dose of community gossip.

Emma Rydal says: "I'm looking forward to being on stage again in a light-hearted piece of theatre, which explores issues which will resonate with many people working in the arts in a humorous way.

"It's a lively production, and with five actors, it makes a change from the usual Arts Out West productions which are often one-man shows. The characters are larger than life and the whole piece has a 1970s sitcom feel about it. It will make fun night out for all."

Jeff Wallcook adds: "Having worked in theatre as a performer, practitioner, storyteller, and facilitator for most of my life, I have heard many stories and met many characters. But the most interesting ones are about real characters and local stories.

"Over the past 15 years I have worked in many community and village halls, and the best thing about it has been the people and their rich tapestry of tales.

"Of course with such a wealth of stories out there, it would be very difficult to fit them into one show. So the only solution was to make more than one - a series. A soap for the stage."

Beyond the Boards appears at Brigham Memorial Hall on Saturday September 24, Ullock Village Hall on Sunday 25, Muncaster Parish Hall, in Ravenglass, on Friday October 7, and Thursby Parish Hall on Saturday 8. All shows start at 7.30pm, and tickets are available via www.artsoutwest.com