AN INDISTINCT figure lurks in the background of an artist’s paintings in the latest thriller from Bingley Little Theatre.

Dead Reckoning sees local actor Tim Lobley playing Tony Reed, an artist whose life and art have taken a dark turn since the death of his first wife.

Is Tony still haunted by the shadow of his former love, and will audiences at Bingley Little Theatre from January 22 to 27 finally find out what actually happened to her?

Dead Reckoning, described as a gripping psychological thriller, comes from the pen of Eric Chappell who has written many hit stage thrillers and comedies as well as a succession of classic sitcoms.

Tony has long fantasised about killing his first wife’s murderer, and the arrival of the mysterious Mr Todd, offering to carry out the deed, seems to be the answer to his dreams.

But soon Tony and his second wife Megan are caught up in a maze of chilling mind games and deceit, a nightmare from which there seems to be no escape.

Eric Chappell took full-time writing in 1973 after his first stage play, The Banana Box, was produced at the Apollo Theatre in London.

As Eric continued to write for the stage, his TV adaptation of The Banana Box became classic TV series Rising Damp, winning a BAFTA award for best situation comedy.

He went on to write more than 200 television comedy scripts, including the hit series the Bounder, Only When I Laugh, Duty Free, Singles, Fiddlers Three and Haggard.

He has also written more than 20 stage plays, which are performed across the world.

These include Fathers Day, about a lonely and embittered divorcee visited one night by his wayward son, which inspired the TV series Home To Roost starring John Thaw and Reece Dinsdale.

Visit bingleylittletheatre.co.uk or call 01274 567983 to book tickets.