RIVER Reeves will always be best known for his music.

The guitarist quickly made a name for himself with Viola Beach before tragedy struck and he died, along with the rest of the Warrington indie rock band and their Woolston manager Craig Tarry, in a crash in Sweden in February.

But there is another side of River that is starting to emerge.

The 19-year-old was also a promising actor whose great comic timing brought many plays to life.

Now one of his friends, Ben Thomas, is to pay tribute to River by presenting his next production in his memory.

Ben and River met at Priestley College's drama class when they were 16 and worked on five shows together.

The Padgate resident, who runs Average Day theatre group, is presenting Adam Gwon's Ordinary Days at Priestley College on Tuesday, July 5.

It is to raise money for the Viola Beach Memorial Fund.

The first show that Ben and River were in together was a Christmas showcase at Priestley College followed by a play called Immaculate.

River was also in Ben's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream at The Brindley in Runcorn less than a month before his death.

"It came so natural to him," said Ben, 19.

"His acting and the way he tackled the script and then brought it to life was unreal.

"But River was also famous for doing everything at the last minute.

"He wouldn’t learn his lines until he absolutely had to but when we were rehearsing he was so easy to act with and bounce off.

"He made it look simple and had great comic timing."

Ben became good friends with River off stage too.

The former University Academy Warrington student added: "He was one of the kindest, most genuine and funniest people I’ve ever met.

"If you were ever in trouble he’d be there for you.

"He was so focused on what he wanted to do. Towards the end of college he was torn between acting and music.

"I remember being in the office with him when he told this to the drama teacher and she said: ‘Follow what your gut is saying’.

"Music was the direction he went in but he never changed.

"He still the same funny person and was still drinking and smoking.

"It was so obvious why Viola Beach wanted him to be in the band and together they made an unbelievable sound.

"When they came around and started making a name for themselves that gave a lot of hope to other people."

Ordinary Days is about four people struggling to work out who they are and what they want to be amid the chaos of their working lives in New York.

Ben, who is going to study at Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts in September, said: "As a director I want to challenge myself and throw myself out of my comfort zone.

"The musical is about four people who struggle to connect.

"For me it is quite applicable as I didn’t have a chance to connect with what River was going through when he didn't know whether to become an actor or a musician.

"I associate all the comic moments in the show with River because I think about the way he would do it.

"I was amazed by the way he could make something funny out of something that was so small.

- Ordinary Days is at Priestley College in Loushers Lane on Tuesday, July 5.

Search for Ordinary Days on eventbrite.co.uk or email Ben at benthomas.wba96@yahoo.com

DAVID MORGAN