ORGANISERS have plumped for a mixture of plays for this year's week-long Felixstowe Drama Festival - with audiences looking forward to some excellent entertainment.

ORGANISERS have plumped for a mixture of plays for this year's week-long Felixstowe Drama Festival - with audiences looking forward to some excellent entertainment.

Theatre companies from all over the country will compete for a series of trophies and a place in the National All Winners festival later in the summer.

The plays - to be performed nightly at the Spa Pavilion between May 24 and 31 - include stirring dramas and comedies, including two by Alan Ayckbourn.

It is the 58th year the festival has taken place.

A spokeswoman for the Spa Pavilion said the selectors had had a difficult task choosing this year's plays from the entries received.

“Comedy is always popular, the aim in choosing the plays is to have a broad balance of high quality entertainment spread throughout the festival week,” she said.

Adjudicator for the event will be Colin Dolley - returning to the Felixstowe festival for the fifth time - and he will address the audience and theatre group at the end of each performance, assessing acting, production, set, costume, sound and lighting, and endeavour, originality and achievement.

“Following each night's performance, the adjudicator, gives the audience a brief idea of his thoughts on the play itself, the way the producer and technical team handled the production and how the performers themselves played their particular character,” said the spokeswoman.

“All of this culminates eight days later on the final Saturday when, after the performance, the adjudicator will briefly talk to the audience and then make up his mind about who has won the various trophies.”

While Mr Dolley's marks will decide who wins nine of the trophies, the final two - The Robert Sanders Trophy and Felixstowe Chamber of Trade and Commerce Trophy - will be decided by the audience voting for their favourites.

The All Winners festival will take place at The Gaiety Theatre, Douglas, Isle of Man, from July 19 to 25.

Tickets for the plays can be booked now at the Spa box office on 01394 282126.

FASTFACTS: Felixstowe Drama Festival

Saturday May 24: Be My Baby by Amanda Whittington performed by In Yer Space.

Sunday May 25: Ten Times Table by Alan Ayckbourn, Thurrock Courts Players.

Monday May 26: Murdered to Death by Peter Gorden, Deben Players.

Tuesday May 27: Journey's End by RC Sherriff, Parkside Players.

Wednesday May 28: The Killing of Sister George by Frank Marcus, KYTES Theatre Group.

Thursday May 29: Salt of the Earth by John Godber, Cardiff Players.

Friday May 30: Three Tall Women by Edward Albbee, The Sharnbrook Mill Theatre.

Saturday May 31: Snake in the Grass by Alan Ayckbourn, Old Buckenham Players.