A West End playwright is to shine a light on the people of Farnham as an acclaimed production is returning to the Maltings.

Local lives will be played out on stage this spring as Darren Clark is bringing an update version of Ordinary People: A Farnham Musical to the town centre venue.

The 2024 play which recreated the real-life experiences of local residents was a sell-out success and received tremendous praise from the public.

He’s been interviewing people around Farnham and has also sought the public’s views on what makes the town unique and the greatest thing to happen locally.

Farnham is a world away from the international glare and bright lights of the West End with the curtain coming down last month on Clark’s most recent production, the Olivier Award-nominated The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

But the lure of telling local stories to local people remains strong with Clark, who is associate artist at the Maltings, enthusing about his latest project.

“I’ve put on musicals all over the country, in Europe and America, but there’s something uniquely compelling about seeing your own life played out on stage,” Darren told the Herald.

“There is a collective celebration that our lives are bigger than we think they are.”

When asked about his motivation, Darren said: “I want to inspire young creatives to think differently when writing musicals.

“Theatre doesn’t have to be about something grandiose, like revolutions or battles, it can be equally as beautiful, compelling, funny when it’s rooted in our everyday lives.”

And what has he looked for when interviewing the great and good of Farnham?

He said: “I look for authentic personal experiences, authenticity is key.”

Tickets are now available with performances of Ordinary People: A Farnham Musical at Farnham Maltings on May 31 and June 1.