As Penarth Operatic & Dramatic Society prepare for the opening night of the stage adapation of the 1970's hit BBC sitcom The Good LIfe, members of the cast visited a local allotment to get a taste of what it might be like to grow your own food and lead a self-sufficient lifestyle - much like Tom and Barbara in the iconic TV series.

PODS is the first non-professional company in Wales to have been granted the licence to perform the stage adaptation The Good Life which followed the joys and setbacks as Tom Good (played by Richard Briers) who, in the midst of a mid-life crisis, together with his wife Barbara (played by Felicity Kendal) embarked on a self-sufficiency lifestyle, digging up their garden to grow fruit and vegetables and building enclosures for their animals - including Geraldine the goat, Pinky and Perky the pigs and Lenin the cockerel – and making their own wine and electricity.

Their efforts were looked upon in complete bafflement by their snooty, but kindly neighbours - Margo and Jerry Leadbetter (played by Penelope Keith and Paul Eddington). Tom and Barbara decided they could do without a regular income, mod cons and luxuries. The Leadbetters, on the other hand, enjoyed the finer things in life such as money, a nice house and a car and couldn't understand why anyone would want to give them up or could possibly live without them.

The TV series ran for three years from 1975 to 1978 and was adored by millions of viewers. The final episode was a special Royal command perfomance that was filmed in the presence of the late Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.

The Good Life is on at the Paget Rooms in Penarth from Wednesday 12th to Saturday 15th October at 7.30pm. Tickets can be booked online at www.ticketsource.co.uk/pods and will also be available at the door for each of the performances.