THIS is the world premiere of a sparkling new comedy drama written by Dorset playwright Chris Chibnall, writer of hit TV show Broadchurch.

Young couple Scott and Rachel are planning their wedding – she’d like a Hawaiian beach fantasy, he’d prefer a canal barge and a pub. But the bride’s mother has other ideas.

‘Austerity Britain’ decrees the average wedding cost of £20,000 is out of the question, so the family decides on a back garden marquee, a second-hand wedding dress, the local pub band, and a couple of Portaloos.

The stage set – as always with Salisbury Playhouse – is wonderfully designed and constructed. The band singer appears though a trapdoor in the lawn, the tipsy chief bridesmaid gets trapped in a collapsing Portaloo, and the vicar is savaged by the family’s drugged dogs in the shed.

Ten superb actors (with convincing Dorset accents) carry the entertaining storyline, with Carolyn Pickles outstanding as the meddling mother, Martin Hyder hilarious as the Basil Fawlty-esque father, and Rebecca Oldfield mesmeric as the high-heeled flirty sister.

The humour ranges from brilliant one-liners, through cartoonish farce, to laugh-out-loud hysterical situation comedy. The bittersweet drama includes cancer, family secrets, and house repossession.

Salisbury Playhouse should be commended for commissioning original new drama. At long last, the great modern playwright Alan Ayckbourn just may have a serious rival in Chris Chibnall.

Worst Wedding Ever runs until April 19. Go see it!

Tickets are available here>>