WAS the answer 42?

It could have been if the audience had been pre-warned to look out for the number of hit shows, films, plays, musicals and good old fashioned top of the pops presented by the Near-ta Theatre trio at the Marhamchurch Bray Institute.

The two stage per­formers, Louis Howard and Daniel Richards, were backed by light and sounds-off engineered by Charlotte Bister.

A stage set of a prison cell, complete with bunk beds, a lavatory pan, guitar, keyboard together with some old socks, tea towels and a duvet, was the most unpromising set of props to give a series of bri­ll­iantly enacted ske­ches loosely placed around the theme of Christmas.

For the full report, and a round up of the area news and sport, please see this week's edition of the 'Post'.