A SHAKESPEARE play backed by Hollywood stars has tickets available for its afternoon performance tomorrow (Thursday).

Due to popular demand, the Stroud Subscription Rooms is putting on a special matinee show of A Midsummer Night’s Dream on Thursday, November 23 at 2.30pm.

The play will be performed by RATS (Ruscombe Amateur Theatre Society) and directed by professional, award-winning actor, Susan Lynch.

The Subscription Rooms has added the matinee performance of the play after both evening performances of the Shakespeare production sold out within two weeks, with additional seating having to be added to cope with demand.

Director Susan Lynch said: “I always want to do a play that caters to the strength of the players and this does it – it showcases all of them individually, but also as a brilliant ensemble.”

Susan Lynch is an award-winning actress who has worked with Stephen Spielberg, and has acted on TV shows such as Happy Valley and Apple Tree Yard.

Susan’s husband, BBC Line of Duty’s Craig Parkinson, is a regular face of the group, lending his professional help to rehearsals, and BAFTA and Golden Globe award-winning actress, Samantha Morton, whose credits include JK Rowling’s Fantastic Beats and Where To Find Them, is the patron of the RATS group.

Said Susan of the professionally-backed production: “I always want the play to be more dreamlike.”

“You don't question a dream, it just is, so that's what we want for the performers and for the audience - a kaleidoscopic adventure... through the bard’s extraordinary tale.”

Matinee tickets for A Midsummer Night’s Dream on Thursday, November 23 at 2.30pm can be bought from the Subscription Rooms box office, online at www.subscriptionrooms.org.uk or call on 01453 760 900.