AS the plums ripen in the orchards, the RGB Theatre Company is putting the finishing touches to its second annual outdoor theatre tour.

Rites II - Insanity Fair takes us back to the unnamed Worcestershire village that saw last year's shenanigans with Morris Dancers, marital aids and unbridled bell-ringing.

This time, it's a local orchard that's at stake, and various villagers opt to use the opportunity of having TV cameras at their village fete to try and save the orchard.

Producer Kim Davies said: "It's typical of the plays that Simon Stirling writes for us, that after they're written we begin to find out how topical they are. Now we find out that, all over the country, local people are buying up orchards to save them from development."

Simon Stirling is the locally-based writer who previously wrote for a number of hit television series.

He admits that writing for a Worcestershire audience can be a lot more fun than for Casualty or The Bill. "I love the character of the local villages. The gossip, the rivalries, the inter-relationships," he said.

Lynn Davies, who is directing Rites II, adds: "What we've got is outdoor theatre for a summer's evening that is written specifically for the area. It has got to be one of the funniest plays I've ever come across. I'm not sure what city people would make of it, but anyone in the Vale is bound to find it only too recognisable."

Tickets are available now for performances at the Lenches Lakes this Friday, at The Fleece Inn in Bretforton this Saturday, at Pershore Rugby Club on Sunday and at Hampton Ferry on Monday, August 28.

Tickets are available at the Almonry Heritage Museum in Evesham by calling 01386 446944.