SELENA Blain plays a lead role in Darlington Operatic Society’s forthcoming production of Cole Porters Anything Goes after landing the part her mother, Avril Leach, played for the same society 15 years ago, that of society debutante Hope Harcourt.

“I had completely forgotten that my mother played the part before,”

said Selena, 25, who recently moved back to the area after a spell in London.

“Looking back at the past programmes and seeing the old photographs brought back many memories for us both, I just hope I can do as good a job as she did back then.”

Her mother said: “I will be so proud to watch Selena playing the part of Hope. It will be a strange feeling knowing the part so well and seeing her bring her own individuality to it.”

Anything Goes follows the trials and tribulations of Wall Street broker, Billy Crocker, as he tries to stop the marriage between Hope and her English toff fiancé Lord Evelyn Oakleigh.

Billy stows on board the ocean liner taking the couple to England to be married and tries every trick in the book to be alone with Hope to encourage her to change her mind and marry him instead. Add to the mix a gangster and his moll, a sexy night club singer and her four “angels” and a couple of gambling Chinese, and it turns into a voyage of fun, frivolity and mayhem.

The show has some of Cole Porter’s best tunes, including You’re the Top, All Through the Night, Blow, Gabriel, Blow, It’s De-lovely and the title number Anything Goes.

Opening night is Thursday and the show runs until May 2. Tickets are available on the hotline 01325-244659 or online at www.darlingtonoperaticsociety.org.uk.