The team putting together an ambitious production of one of the classics of the theatre repertoire have a stark warning for anyone who wants to see the show: Seats are in short supply, so book now.

The Comet: Rehearsals for the Bancroft Players production of Hedda Gabler, April 2015. Picture by Julian Newman TurnerRehearsals for the Bancroft Players production of Hedda Gabler, April 2015. Picture by Julian Newman Turner (Image: Julian Newman Turner)

There are fewer seats than normal at Hitchin’s Queen Mother Theatre for the short run of Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler, which runs at the Walsworth Road venue from Monday, May 18, to Saturday, May 23, because the stage has been reconfigured to suit the intimacy of the action.

Director Martyn Jolly, who is helming the Bancroft Players take on Richard Eyre’s 2005 Almeida revival of the play, said: “The themes of Hedda are universal.

“I’ve designed this production to bring a new level of realism and immediacy to a timeless classic, to make its characters and their actions relevant now.

“I don’t want to give too much away, but I think this is the most intimate production ever witnessed at the Queen Mother Theatre.”

The play is a tangled tale of society’s changing expectations as we grow older – but if that sounds dry, throw in a loveless marriage, adultery, ambition, academic rivalry and violent death.

If you want to be sure of getting one of the reduced number of seats on offer, tickets are on sale now – call 01462 455166 or visit www.qmt.org.uk.

You’ll only pay £8 for opening night on Monday, with prices rising to £12 for the Friday and Saturday shows.