A PENARTH woman is set to make her stage debut after graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).

Rachel Redford, 22, will appear in Sherman Cymru's next production, It's A Family Affair …(We'll Settle It Ourselves) at the Sherman Theatre in Cardiff from September 25 to October 12.

The play will feature a host of familiar faces, such as Sian Reeves, from Cutting It, Emmerdale and Mount Pleasant, William Thomas, from Gavin and Stacey and Twin Town, Lee Mengo, from Stella and Skins, and Rhi Richards from Satellite City.

"I am extremely excited to be doing my first professional play at the Sherman Theatre having just graduated from RADA,” said Lisa.

“My first and fondest memory of watching a show there, having never performed there before, was when I was very little and my parents took me to see Charlotte's Web. It's such an exciting theatre with so much on offer for audiences and creatives.”

Former Stanwell School pupil Rachel added: “'It's A Family Affair' is a very funny comedy in which I will be playing Lipochka, a spoilt, man hungry brat desperate for a husband. There are some familiar faces in the cast including Sian Reeves, Will Thomas and Rhi Richards, who I cannot wait to work with.”

She added: “I am also very much looking forward to coming home to Penarth, seeing my family and friends and walking my dog Ollie.”

It's A Family Affair…(We'll Settle It Ourselves), the centre piece production of Sherman Cymru's 40th anniversary, is a hilarious comedy about false bankruptcy, spoilt rich kids, matchmakers on the take and lawyers on the bottle.

Written in 1849 then promptly banned, Alexander Ostrovsky’s debut comedy, based in the nouveau riche of 19th century Russia, it is a scathing satire of a vulgar and deluded society, where blackmail and hypocrisy abound, the rouble rules, and everyone can be bought, sold or borrowed.

William Thomas is aging merchant Bolshov, who dreams of a daughter-free retirement whilst clinging to his wealth in this new adaptation by Simon Crowther. Lee Mengo is Bolshov's hapless clerk Lazar, in love with the boss's daughter but embroiled in his scheme.

Sian Reeves brings her trademark comedy to the outlandish, lavish Ustinya, matchmaker extraordinaire and all round wheeler dealer who gets tripped up by her love of sable coats.