nPIRATES will be raiding Hanger Farm Arts Centre from Monday to Thursday as Pocket G&S make a return to the venue with an eclectic production of The Pirates of Penzance.

The company comprises a dozen talented performers who have made their names with the region’s dramatic societies.

In their third production together as a group, Pocket G&S have added a pantomime feel to proceedings!

Director David Tatnall promises an evening of ghosts, mermaids, parrots, principal boys, dames, song-sheets, audience participation and crocodiles!

He told Your Entertainment: “Working on this production has been such great fun and it has been amazing how easily the pantomime concept has fitted with the traditional piece!”

“I am a huge fan of Gilbert and Sullivan and, despite all the silliness, I feel this production is very much in keeping with the author’s intentions and all the original music and words remain!”

The cast includes many local favourites including Lisa Axworthy as Mabel, Mark Ponsford as The Sergeant of Police, Adrian Hickford as The Pirate King, Katherine Evans as thigh-slapping principal boy Frederic and Matt Sturgeon donning frocks and frills as Dame Ruth. The musical director is Martin Paterson.

Tickets: 02380 667683.

HAVE you ever thought why Romeo and Juliet are always played by star-crossed young lovers? Do they always have to be young....does young love still exist for our senior citizens? Titchfield Festival theatre ’s version of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet certainly questions that.

All of Shakespeare’s beautiful verse but now set in Verona the care home for the old and infirm. Surrounded by family, will our modern day senior Juliet find her Romeo?

Despite their differences can they still find love in their final years?

Kevin Fraser, the director of this production says: “It was with some trepidation that we embarked on this version of Shakespeare’s classic love story. However, we were amazed to find that many of the lines in the first folio really do allude to age. Young lovers, with very little adaptation could be changed to older lovers – in fact, age seemed to be no hindrance, but then why should it?”

Juliet and her Romeo runs until Saturday, July 28.

Tickets and details from titchfieldfestivaltheatre.com

“SOME rise by sin, and some by virtue fall.”

Salisbury’s Studio Theatre present Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure at Ashley Road from Tuesday to Saturday.

The play, which was first presented in 1604, deals with the issues of mercy, justice and truth and their relationship to pride and humility.

Box office: 01722 334956