Rude Mechanical Theatre Company on the road across East and West Sussex

Their show this year is Gods and Dogs, a new play touring to 47 mainly small outdoor rural venues and a few towns across southern England from Friday, May 27 to Sunday, August 7.

Artistic director Pete Talbot said: “The Rude Mechanical Theatre company was founded in 1997 and has been touring brand-new plays once or twice a year every year since to mainly small rural communities and a few towns in Southern England.

"Over the years we have built strong relationships with our communities so that they have come to understand our theatre language, which is rooted in the commedia dell’arte, music hall and silent film but made our own for our audiences and the contemporary world.

"Our annual visits are part of their lives; children have grown up to be adults with us.

“Gods and Dogs, our hilarious new comedy, is set in 2084 on the fictitious island of Abatina based loosely on Monaco in a world where people are either glamorous celebrities or slobbering dog-like followers of them gripped to their telepafones – except, that is, the Nevnops, as Big Al, the all-seeing all hearing President, calls them, that is, ‘Not Very Nice People’, who choose to pursue their own thoughts on the matter and don’t like the President.

“The story follows Tina who enters Marriage Maker, a ‘telepavision’ gameshow.

“The idea of the game is if you win you get to marry the super-glamorous footballer Harry Best on the Saturday, have a weekend of love, then divorce him on the Monday. All the fun and no ties!

"Unfortunately, Tina makes the mistake of falling in love when she wins and doesn’t want to divorce. Doreen, her best friend, has her own opinion, but then she might be a Nevnop and the Mind Police might get to her first and send her to the wolves on the Other Side - a dangerous world over ‘the mountain...”

Venues: Pond Cottage, Friston Place, Friston – Friday, May 27; West Chiltington Recreation Ground – Thursday, June 2; The Croft, Hartfield – Sunday, June 5; Hadlow Down Playing Field – Thursday, June 16; The Village Hall field, Plumpton Green – Friday, June 17; Halnaker Park Cottage, Halnaker – Sunday, June 19; Egerton Park, Bexhill-on-Sea – Wednesday, June 22; East Dean Recreation Ground, East Sussex – Thursday, June 30; Swan Meadow, Burwash – Friday, July 1; Southover Grange Gardens, Lewes – Saturday, July 2 and Sunday, July 3; Duncton Village Hall field – Wednesday, July 6; Wadhurst Primary School field – Friday, July 8; The Village Green, Rushlake Green – Sunday, July 10; Slaugham Ruins, Slaugham – Wednesday July 13; Arlington Village Hall field – Thursday, July 14; Sussex Prairie Garden, Henfield – Sunday, July 24; The Star Inn, Waldron – Wednesday, July 27; Dial Post Village Green – Thursday, July 28; Helen Gardens, Eastbourne - August 3-7;

All shows at 7.30pm.

Entrance from 6pm

Book online – www.therudemechanicaltheatre.co.uk or ring 01323 501260