A BARRHEAD theatre company has been left “homeless” after being given the boot from a church where they entertained sold-out audiences with their debut play.

Before the run of ‘Gypsy: A Comedy Play in Two Acts,’ a row had broken out between Bourock Parish Church and the New Barrhead Players over the play’s content.

A compromise was reached to allow the show to go ahead but the group has now been told it can no longer use the church, which had been their base every Wednesday night since February.

Alma Mearns, the group’s founder, told the Barrhead News: “When we went to clear out the stage, two guys came in to say that was it now.

“They had taken the key off me ages ago.

“They said it wasn’t working. It’s fine, though, because the atmosphere was totally horrendous.”

Alma is now hopeful that another local church will step in to allow the group to continue to meet.

Barrhead News: Sharon Maltman playing Buffy, Alma Mearns playing Flissy and Helen McGibbon playing MillicentSharon Maltman playing Buffy, Alma Mearns playing Flissy and Helen McGibbon playing Millicent (Image: Sourced)

She added: “We are homeless but hopefully that will be resolved soon.”

The church’s decision is the final act in a dramatic series of events which threatened to bring the curtain down on the play before its run had even started.

As the Barrhead News previously reported, church minister the Rev Pamela Gordon objected to the play’s use of the words ‘damn’ and ‘damned.’ She also criticised the play for including a storyline about adultery.

This led to an email being sent, telling the group to collect its props and equipment from the church.

As the cast scrambled around to find a new venue, the Church of Scotland then revealed an agreement had been reached which allowed the show to go ahead.

This saw a ‘disclaimer’ read out before each performance to stress that the content wasn’t endorsed by church office bearers.

Following the latest twist, a Church of Scotland spokesman said: “Bourock Parish Church Kirk Session is glad that matters were resolved to allow the play to take place.

“The contract signed by both parties has now expired and, given that there had been a breakdown in the working relationship between the Kirk Session and the New Barrhead Players, the Kirk Session decided that no new contract should be issued to the group.

“We wish the New Barrhead Players all the best for the future.”