A TRIBUTE to the much-loved creative development manager at Ilkley Playhouse takes place this week.

Walter Swan, who was also the theatre’s artistic director for several years, died suddenly and unexpectedly in April this year.

Now, on Friday and Saturday, in the Wharfeside Theatre at Ilkley Playhouse from 7.30pm each night, there will be a tribute to Walter.

Walter was a prolific writer throughout his life and much of his work has been published or performed. He often wrote in collaboration with others, most recently and for a number of years with Yvette Huddleston.

The tribute production, the same on each evening, will be made up of a number of different aspects of Walter’s writing, both solely and with his collaborators.

A group of Ilkley Playhouse actors will perform a rehearsed reading which will include extracts from Walter’s stage plays, radio plays, pantomimes and screenplays, short stories and poems, and there may be some comic songs.

The evening is compiled and directed by Yvette Huddleston.

There will be no charge for admission but donations will be collected for the Walter Swan Trust. This new charity has recently been launched and one of its first activities is a playwriting competition, organised in partnership with Ilkley Playhouse, Ilkley Literature Festival and with the support of West Yorkshire Playhouse. See walterswantrust.org.uk for more details.

Yvette said: “We hope to welcome to the performances many people who knew Walter through his work at the Playhouse and in the wider community, alongside members of his family and friends from further afield.

“This is an important production to celebrate Walter’s life and great talent.”

Tickets are available on the nights or you can reserve a seat via the Playhouse website ilkleyplayhouse.co.uk.