"To those who appreciate wisteria and sunshine. Small castle on the Mediterranean, Northern Italy, to be let for the month of April. Cook, gardens, ocean view. Reply box eleven."

Two housewives decide to throw caution to the wind, answer this advertisement, and escape from the relentless dreariness of the London winter and from their equally bleak marriages. To help meet the costs, they are joined by two other very different women – a crabby, judgemental elderly lady and a beautiful aristocratic socialite. All four, in their different ways, are deeply unhappy; battling with loss and sadness, tired of their lives and trapped by other peoples’ expectations.

When four such unlikely companions spend a month together it isn’t all plain sailing, and when erstwhile husbands and doe-eyed admirers are added into the mix the consequences are hilarious. But under the spell of the Italian sun and the wisteria blossoms, the women rediscover friendship, love, and the sheer joy of living.

Based on the 1922 novel by Elizabeth Von Arnim, Matthew Barber’s award-winning romantic comedy-drama is populated with unforgettable characters. Funny, charming, moving and uplifting, it’s a play guaranteed to bring the sunshine.