WRITERS from west Dorset will perform a play to shed light on the damaging effects of tourism.

Gail Aldwin, Maria Pruden and Sarah Scally, who write collaboratively as 3-She, will perform their comedy sketch show Big Heads & Others as part of Shaftesbury Fringe Festival on Saturday, July 6 at 12pm.

The short play reflects the current turmoil on Easter Island and uses the iconic moai to look at the damaging effect of tourism on local communities.

Easter Island, the remote Chilean territory, saw more than 150,000 visitors last year many of whom trampled over sacred ground to take pictures of themselves and their friends. Failure to respect ancestors who are depicted as huge heads known as moai is causing distress amongst islanders.

Big Heads & Others gives voice to the statues by having actors play the roles of three toppled moai.

They are besieged with visitors to the island and getting the statues’ views of the situation is not only funny but informative.

In a review of the show, which was staged at Bridport Arts centre in 2018, Maria Donovan said: "The three Big Heads, from their immoveable positions, observe what they can see of the world, each other's behaviour and the visiting 'oomans'. The contrast of their fixed positions with the mobility of their faces and their nimbleness of voice and words is hilarious and proved a big hit with the audience."

*Big Heads & Others, Shaftesbury Arts Centre, Saturday, July 6 12pm. Tickets are available from the box office.