THE Alman Dramatic Club is busy preparing for their largest production for years.

This month will see the club put on their production of Whisky Galore in what is set to be the largest cast in an Alman production for quite some time.

The production team behind the scenes have been working hard behind the scenes for two months to build a vast stage set which will transform into a range of island locations as the story unfolds.

Gerry Docherty, Alman's artistic director, is looking forward to what promises to be a great show.

He told the Advertiser: "We've had great fun rehearsing this wonderful play.

"What is even more amazing is how the stage has changed before our eyes as the designer Walter Awlson and the builders Dave Hunter, David Dobbie, Jim Allan and Ron Mennie created such a clever multi-purpose set.

"Patrons will love it."

Whisky Galore was written by Sir Compton Mackenzie and released in 1949, becoming a hit on both sides of the Atlantic.

The story is based on a true event and concerns a shipwreck close to a fictional Scottish island, the inhabitants of which have run out of whisky because of wartime rationing.

Islanders find out the ship is carrying 50,000 cases of whisky, which they salvage, against the opposition of the local Customs and Excise men.

The Club is pleased to have a number of new faces treading the Coach House boards for the first time, including Ewart McAuslane, Robyn Gordon and Sophie Allan.

Directed by Jim Allan, Whisky Galore gently mocks the traditional religious undercurrents still dominant in Scotland at that time and is a joyous celebration of life in harsher times.

The play opens on Tuesday, March 24 and runs to Friday, March 27, with a 7.30pm start.

There is also a matinee on Saturday, March 28 at 2.30pm.

Whisky Galore will also be running the following week, from Tuesday, March 31 until Friday, April 3, again with a 7.30pm start and a matinee on Saturday, April 4 at 2.30pm.

For more information, or to purchase tickets, visit thealman.com