Spanning the lives of four women in the 20th Century, Charlotte Keatley’s play, My Mother Said I Never Should demands a lot of its cast but Pump House director Pat Knight is confident her performers are up to the task.

Linda Williams takes on the role of Doris and Clare Andrew plays her daughter, Margaret. Emma Stratton better known for her work with Cassio Operatic and Abbots Langley Gilbert and Sullivan Society is Margaret’s daughter Jackie, while 16-year-old Saoirse Brewer makes her debut with the Pump House Theatre adult group as Jackie’s daughter Rosie.

Saoirse, who attends Rickmansworth School and will next play the lead in Our House for Cassio Operatic in November.

“It’s not an easy play at all for any of the cast but they are all rising to the challenge,” says Pat. “The script jumps very quickly from one period to another and then switches back again so at one point in time they’re all children and then they’ve moved on to their 30, 40s and 60s. But it is a lovely play.”

Pat previously staged the play eight years ago with the Kings Langley Players so she knows the play and its characters well.

“They gel as a family; not always a happily or successfully one but deep down they have this feeling for each other, though they don’t always let their feelings be known. The relationship doesn’t quite happen between the younger ones but the older two do gel. Doris is a very real person. She reminds me of one of my grandmas who was always wanting to help and get things right but she didn’t always manage to for various reasons. You don’t always think about it like this but all of a sudden it hits you; people's vulnerability, but I guess there will always be good times, bad and something in between.”

My Mother Said I Never Should is at The Pump House Theatre, Local Board Road, Watford, from Monday, September 20 to Saturday, September 25.

Details: 07786 844541, www.phtc.info