This month Newport Playgoers present The Graduate, a play adapted from the naughty, funny and enormously successful 1967 movie starring Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft.

Recent college graduate Benjamin Braddock is morose. He’s got excellent grades, very proud parents and, since he helped Mrs Robinson with her zipper, a fine future behind him.

He sees his parents and their friends as “grotesques” and doesn’t want a future where he is defined by the size of his house and swimming pool. Out of boredom and desperation, Benjamin falls into bed with Mrs Robinson, a friend of his parents, but by the end of the summer finds himself falling in love with Mrs Robinson’s daughter, Elaine.

Once a cult novel and still a quintessential coming-of-age 60s film, The Graduate’s disastrous sexual odyssey is brought vividly to life on stage in this production.

The Graduate is at the Dolman Theatre from Tuesday 10 – Friday, May 13 at 7.15 pm, with a matinee performance on Saturday 14 at 2.30 pm. To book tickets call 01633 263670 or visit dolmantheatre.co.uk

Pictured rehearsing The Graduate are Chris T Harris as Benjamin, Kate Summers as Mrs Robinson, Catherine Morgan as Elaine, Claire Jacob as Mrs Braddock and Rob Jacob as Mr Braddock.

Photos and words by Phil Mansell