The director of an amateur dramatic group fears a lack of male talent could spell disaster for her latest production.

Laura Kane has no shortage of female thespians for her version of Shakespeare's comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream.

But, in spite of comedienne Dawn French's portrayal of Bottom on the London stage in a recent staging of The Bard's comedy, not enough of the opposite sex have come forward to take one traditional male roles for Laura.

And the 21-year-old is beginning to panic as the auditions are fast approaching.

Laura, who runs Spot-On Productions, wants to start auditioning on Sunday, April 29, and has approached the Telegraph & Argus to help her to find some willing male actors.

She said: "Traditionally there's always a shortage of men in amateur dramatic productions but we really are desperate as there are so many male parts in the play.

"We need about 12 men. They can be of any age as long as they're over 16, and they don't necessarily need to have acting experience.

"But they must be enthusiastic about the theatre and be ready to learn. We are also looking for enthusiastic people to join our backstage and creative teams."

Laura, pictured at the front with Rachel Pollard, Samantha Day, Hannah Littler, and Victoria Bowskill, set up Spot-On Productions with her best pal, Victoria's sister Emma Bowskill when they met backstage as wardrobe dressers in the Alhambra Theatre.

The group's debut was a production of Little Women in August last year at Skipton Town Hall.

Victoria, 17, made it a family affair when she directed the group's second production Dickens's A Christmas Carol at Baildon's Ian Clough Hall last December.

The society now holds monthly play-reading sessions and hope to couple these with practical workshops in the near future.

Auditions for A Midsummer Night's Dream, which will be performed at Bingley Arts Centre on September 6, 7 and 8, start on Sunday, April 29, at 2.30pm.

Any would-be actors or local businesses wishing to sponsor or advertise in the society's programme should contact Laura Kane on 07719 792083 or e-mail: spotonproductions@angelfire.com.