Sherborne theatre group looks to spring production

A SHERBORNE theatre group is planning to look to the future after it was forced to shut down its production suddenly last week.

The Amateur Players of Sherborne (APS) cancelled its production of Shakespeare’s A Winter’s Tale, which was due to open last week, after the shock resignation of director Charles Napier.

Mr Napier, 65, of Sherborne, stood down amid allegations he had been interviewed by police over his links with a notorious paedophile ring, the Paedophile Information Exchange network (PIE), in the 1980s.

He was imprisoned for nine months in 1995 for two offences of sexually abusing a boy under the age of 16. He had enticed the boy to his home in Surrey during the 1980s.

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After an emergency committee meeting APS decided to cancel the production altogether.

Mr Napier has acted in, directed, or designed the set for the last six productions for the players.

Speaking to the Western Gazette last week Mr Napier said he was “devastated” that he would no longer be involved with the production and APS.

On Monday, Stuart McCreadie, chairman of APS, said the group was planning for the future.

He said: “We are now looking ahead to the spring, in which we have a farce by Eric Chappell scheduled in for production.

“We are meeting as a committee but I don’t know as yet if we will re-schedule the performances of A Winter’s Tale.

“The actors involved were committed to perform last week and we were unable to, so I am unsure of their future commitments.”

A full refund is being offered for tickets already purchased for A Winter’s Tale. Contact Stuart McCreadie on 01963 210548.