THE Haverhill Drama Festival returns with a bang this year with enough Am Dram societies performing one act plays to fill five days at Haverhill Arts Centre.

This free festival – which is believed to be the only free drama festival in England and Wales – takes place from May 21-25. Groups from Haverhill, Foxton, Sawston, East Bergholt, Cambridge, Wilburton, Clavering and Bury St Edmunds will perform for David Vince, an adjudicator from the Guild of Drama Adjudicators, in the hope of winning the much coveted silver cup.

Each evening of drama, sponsored by Haverhill Town Council, commences at 7.30pm, to book your free tickets call 01440 714140.

The one-act plays can either be existing dramatic works – such as modern works by Andy Hamilton and Nick Warburton through to pieces from the 19th century born French playwright Henri Gheon to Shakespeare – or newly created ones.

Nick Keeble, arts and leisure manager for the town council, says: “The Haverhill Drama Festival gives everybody a great opportunity to come and see some excellent plays and great talent for free.

“I am really excited to be able to programme five nights of entertainment and that this year the range of plays is so diverse.”

Full list of entries:

Monday May 21, 7.30pm

CENTRE STAGE COMPANY (Youth Section)

THE EXAM

by ANDY HAMILTON Directed by LAUREN CHINERY

FOXTON VIXENS

PURVIS

by NICK WARBURTON Directed by PAT HOUGHTON

Tuesday May 22, 7.30pm

SAWSTON DRAMAWISE

A MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM

Adapted From WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

Adapted & Directed by FRANCES BROWNLIE

SAMUEL WARD ACADEMY

THE HUMPTY DUMPTY FILES

by CLIVE HULME

EAST BERGHOLT DRAMATIC SOCIETY

THE LAST WIFE

by LYNN BRITTNEY Directed by VAL ELDRIDGE

Wednesday May 23, 7.30pm

BAWDS (Cambridge)

FALSTAFF’S FOLLY

Adapted from WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

Adapted & Directed by RICHARD PERONI

Thursday May 24, 7.30pm

WILBURTON THEATRE GROUP

COSTA DEL PACKET

by ANTHONY BOOTH Directed by TIM BROWN

CLAVERING PLAYERS

THE DIFFICULT SECOND ALBUM

by KEITH PHILLIPS

Directed by KEITH PHILLIPS & JENNIFER SCOTT-REID

Friday May 25 7.30pm

IRVING STAGE COMPANY (Bury St Edmunds)

FARCE OF THE DEVIL’S EDGE

by HENRI GHEON Directed by ANDREW DEANE

CENTRE STAGE COMPANY

HANGING ABOUT FOR 2059

by DAVID HART Directed by DAVID HART