A PROFESSIONAL actor and director is looking for volunteers to take part in a modern mystery play.

The play will be produced later this spring at Great Malvern Priory by Rob Swinton, who put on a mystery play there in 2000 and a son-et-lumiere in 2010.

He said: "It tells the story of the world, from its beginning to its end, from God creating the universe to the last trump.

"I will be combining texts from the 15th and 16th centuries and the Towneley Cycle, which is a script that is quite political. The cast will be in modern dress because I wanted to make the point that 2,000 years later we still have evil characters like Herod."

Mr Swinton is using professional actors for the parts of God and Lucifer but is looking for volunteers to fill a further 46 roles, some small, some more demanding.

"As well as actors, I need people to be part of a choir, plus instrumentalists, prop makers, costumiers, and folk to help with quick changes.

"We are very grateful to the National Lottery players through the Heritage Lottery Fund for their generosity. Without their help it would be difficult to stage something which will hopefully bring thousands of people into our beautiful building."

Anyone who wants to find out more is welcome to come to one of two meetings at the Priory on Saturdays, February 16 and 23, at 2pm. The play will be staged towards the end of April and early May.

Mystery plays were first created to complement the stories told in stained glass windows in churches. This production will take place inside the Priory which will be dramatically transformed for the performances. It is anticipated that over a two-week period it will attract a huge audience.

Rob Swinton is a Malvern man. He is a prize winning professional actor and director and has been artistic director of the Stafford Shakespeare Festival.