THE residents of Marlborough are being invited to take part in possibly the largest dramatic presentation the town has ever seen, being staged for its 800th anniversary next year.

Wheels Of Time is due to be performed at various locations in the town centre on June 11 and 12, next summer and producer David Sherratt is hoping to assemble a large cast and crew to make it a reality.

There are about 30 speaking roles but many more parts for Norman soldiers, constables, royalists, fire runners and prisoners.

The play covers the 800 years of Marlborough's history, from the granting of its charter by King John in 1204, to the arrival of Shakespearian players in 1594, the surrender of the town to Royalists in 1642, the Great Fire of 1653 and the Quarter Sessions of 1840.

The production will also require a small army of backstage workers to manage props, make costumes, build the set and run the show.

Auditions will take place on October 26, between 1pm and 4pm, in St Mary's Church, and November 2 from 10am to 4pm in the town hall.

Audition packs, including a cast list and brief description of the different characters, are available from September 1 from the town council offices in High Street, the Gazette office in Kingsbury Street, the White Horse Bookshop, Duck's Toy Shop and the local information point in the library.

Mr Sherratt said: "We want to mark this special occasion with something very impressive. I'm sure it will be a lot of fun for everyone concerned, and it will attract a lot of attention from all over the country, if not the world."