Five birthdays. Two unhappy marriages. One possessive mother. Brace yourself for Alan Ayckbourn’s suburban comedy ‘Just Between Ourselves’, which is coming to Darlington this April.

London Classic Theatre has form in coming up with gold as regards Alan Ayckbourn. Over the last decade they’ve had highly successful tours with his ‘Absent Friends’ and ‘Absurd Person Singular’ and their latest ‘Just Between Ourselves’ is promising audiences yet more fun, with comedy and tragedy as uneasy bedfellows. It is 1976. Dennis tinkers in his garage, cheerfully indifferent to wife Vera’s impending breakdown. Marjorie hovers in the background, making tea and finding fault. Neil has planned a birthday surprise for his wife, but Pam doesn’t share his enthusiasm, preoccupied by frustrations of her own…

Just Between Ourselves, 15-17 April, Darlington Hippodrome, 7.30pm, from £14, darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk