They’ve “done” Dick Barton, Special Agent. Now Dan Dare is about the get the Theatre Workshop Coulsdon “treatment”.

Coming to a community centre near you next month is Reginald Rare (geddit??!!), a fast-moving spoof about the “rocketeer extraordinaire”, for a spiffing new comedy sci-fi adventure stage performance thingy.

Here’s the gist:

In 1945, ace RAF fighter pilot Reginald Rare is shot down over Germany by a mysterious freeze ray that sends him into a cold-induced deep sleep.

Waking up in the far-flung future of 2015, our Reggie finds a world that’s changed beyond recognition except for one thing. It’s at war!

This time the threat comes from another planet, Venus, where the evil Veneer of Venerea plots to overthrow an Earth that has forgotten how to fight.

Reg may be a man out of time in many ways, but he might be the only man on Earth who can take the battle back to the invaders. With a crew of multi-national misfits, an untested weapon and a set of attitudes over half a century out of date, can Reg pull it off? Or is the Earth doomed?

The clever people at Theatre Workshop Coulsdon say: “With a fond tip of the hat to the Dan Dare stories from The Eagle comic of the 1950s, this promises adventure and laughter in equal measure, appealing to all ages.

“Whether you grew up with Dan Dare, Fireball XL5, Star Trek, Star Wars or Firefly, buckle up, aim for the stars and prepare to have an out-of-this-world experience!”

Performances are March 16 and 17, 20 to 24 (check for timings) at the Coulsdon Community Centre, Barrie Close.

• For more details, upcoming productions and tickets, click here

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