Eastleigh based Mountbatten Players are offering five lots of laughter in one evening as the group perform Confusions by Alan Ayckbourn next week at Hanger Farm Arts Centre in West Totton.

Confusions are five short interlinked plays - some gentle comedy, some hilarious farce - all painfully accurate, but nonetheless, amusing observations of the eccentricities of the English and suburban life.

Director Peter Pitcher gives a brief resume: "Mother Figure, is about a Mum trying to cope with young children and illustrates beautifully the narrow world that mums can end up occupying where only choccy biscuits and nappies count.

n The second play - Between Mouthfuls - is set in a hotel restaurant with two couples arguing over their dinners. The waiter sliding in and out with potted prawns and rump steak garni juxtaposes his banal world with that of the rowing couples.

n The third - A Talk in the Park is a showcase for our younger members and illustrates the weird relationships we all take up with strangers when we find ourselves on a park bench with someone else. A very amusing series of conversations gives away the fact that what we see in others we fail to see in ourselves.

n The fourth play is Drinking Companion and is a play about chat up lines and inappropriate relationships. It centres around a middle aged guy that tries to 'pull' a couple of girls young enough to be his daughters. This play is full of excrutiating but recognisably funny dialogue.

n The last play, Gosforth's Fete is the most farcical of the five plays. It is set in the tea tent of a village fete where the worst thing that can happen in life is the tea urn tap getting stuck. The vicar, the local councillor and the local Scout leader all clash as they take shelter from the rain with dire consequences."

Mountbatten Players, already widely renowned for their professional standards, were nominated for the Daily Echo Curtain Call Awards for best pantomime earlier this year. So why did Ayckbourn appeal this time?

Peter Pitcher explains: "We chose 'Confusions' because we all love the Ayckbourn style of writing and the stucture of this play allowed a wide range of actors to take part and also give some new directors their chance to have a go. Each director has one short play to direct which is easier than starting with a full scale production."

The group supports the work of Countess Mountbatten House and is delighted to be performing at Totton's new arts venue. Hanger Farm is a superb venue - really classy and atmospheric. We wanted somewhere between the big scale of the Point and the amateur world of village halls, added Peter Pitcher.

Hanger Farm, Totton, Friday 29 and Saturday 30 July.

Tickets £7 Box office: 023 8066 768.