AMATEUR actors will take to the stage next week for the Wallingford Corn Exchange Drama Festival.

Nine plays will be performed by eight companies from Monday to Friday, June 13 to 17, nightly at 7.30pm, excluding Wednesday.

On the final night of the festival, MP Ed Vaizey will present the prizes. The adjudicator for this year’s 24th annual event will be Helen Sharman, author of Directing Amateur Theatre and a former artistic director of Young Theatre at Beaconsfield.

Ms Sharman will decide all the winners apart from one, The Punters’ Prize, which represents the audience’s choice of the best play seen over the four days of the festival.

On Monday, the Didcot Phoenix group will perform Words, Words, Words, and Wantage-based Domino Players The Form. On Tuesday, the Norden Lights group will stage DNA, by Dennis Kelly, and Abingdon-based BreakaLeg Productions will perform Roman Fever. Thursday will see another BreakaLeg play, There’s None So Blind; Sinodun Players perform Simpson’s Shorts; and Henley Players also Roman Fev er; and on Friday, Henley Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society will stage A Dog’s Life; and the Bartholomew Players, Visiting Hours (Magic and Waiting).

Tickets cost £7 per night or a four-night season ticket is £21.