AFTER the fantastic success of their critically acclaimed 2011 production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, this year the Wessex Actors’ Company presents The Merry Wives of Windsor.


They bring this rollicking show to Bridport’s Millennium Green on Sunday, July 22 for two performances, at 1pm and 6pm.


Written for Queen Elizabeth I, The Merry Wives of Windsor is a hilarious tale following the antics of Sir John Falstaff and his attempts to woo Windsor’s women.

The company’s artistic director Jo Puttick said: “The show is a real romp and has been such good fun to put together. The rumour is that the original performers were called The Queen’s Players and Elizabeth I summoned Shakespeare and said she was having a celebration in Windsor in a fortnight and wanted him to write a new play for it. Not just that, but she wanted to have Falstaff in it because he was her favourite character and had already appeared in Henry IV parts I and II and in Henry V.”


Having received rave reviews along the way, WAC are thoroughly enjoying staging this latest show and are urging people to see it. Tickets are £12 plus concessions in advance, £14 on the door and from wessex-actors-company.co.uk or by calling 07586 860798.


In a more macabre vein, retired detective Trevor Marriott comes to Weymouth Pavilion tomorrow to host An Audience with Jack The Ripper.


Since 2002, Trevor has been conducting a cold case investigation into The Whitechapel Murders of 1888 which were attributed to a fearsome killer who came to be known as Jack the Ripper.


He has now concluded his investigation with startling results dispelling many of the original theories.


He said: “If you ask an audience how they imagine Jack the Ripper to be, they mention a tall, dark figure with a black cape – but that’s just Hollywood.


“The truth is very different as I will show you.”


The show is at 7.30pm and tickets are £15 plus concessions from 01305 783225.