TWO men from the county have started their own theatre company and will be performing in Taunton.

Lewis Lilley, from Wellington, and Sam Stay, from Crewkerne, met on their first at the Space College in Monkton Heathfield.

Since then, they’ve both been to performing art schools to continue studying their passions. When they finished, the duo wanted nothing more than to bring their new found talents back to Somerset.

They created the Forgotten Moose Theatre Company, named after a YouTube channel they had in their college days where they would post comedy videos.

Lewis Lilley, who graduated from Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts in London, said: “Sam and I became best friends on the first day of college.

“We always talked about how cool it would be to have our own theatre company one day and to be able create work together.

“When we left the Space we still talked every single day and helped each other get through dark times during our journey to get where we are today. It’s been seven years in the making.”

Now, the Forgotten Moose Theatre Company is bringing The Dumb Waiter, by Harold Pinter, to the Space Theatre.

Mr Lilley added: “We chose The Dumb Waiter because it’s a two hander, it has funny moments and really suited our style.

“It’s our first production as a theatre company so we thought doing a Harold Pinter play would get the theatre scene talking and it would be easier to sell and get an audience to watch us.

“We are now currently writing our own play which we look to put on in London early next year.

“We also really want to bring big theatre back to the rural areas when we can.”

The show hits the theatre on September 21 at 7.30pm.

He said: “This is going to be an emotional return as we’ve always wanted to come back and perform together where it all began.

“When we left Somerset for London to enter this crazy industry, we had no idea if we would make it.”