LEYLAND'S top-notch Shakespeare theatre company is taking its latest production out on the road.

Fans of the C'est Tous theatre company, based in Leyland's picturesque Worden Park, will need to follow the talented company to Rufford Old Hall for August's play.

The group's next performance will be of Shakespeare's romantic comedy As You Like It, following a recent packed and successful tour with The Taming of the Shrew.

As You Like It, one of The Bard's finest comedies, is full of poetry, comedy, satire and romance. Suitable for all ages C'est Tous cast members say the performance will raise plenty of smiles and have the audience rolling in the aisles.

The play tells the tale of two young lovers, Rosalind and Orlando, played by two of the groups most talented actors Elizabeth Walmsley and Andrew Croft.

Both actors performed in C'est Tous production of Romeo and Juliet last year, as the main characters, and Elizabeth was even named 'the country's best Juliet in 15 years' by The Stage newspaper.

Christine Appleby, artistic director and actor at C'est Tous, will be giving a pre-show talk before each production.

She said: "This play is a comedy about gender swapping, and women dressing as men. We've just done Taming of the Shrew and Twelfth Night, and they all have the same theme.

"In Elizabethan times there was a really strict code that under no circumstances, punishable by death, could females dress as males. Shakespeare wrote lots of plays about it."

The play runs on Friday, August 16 and Saturday, August 17. Christine's pre-show talks start at 7pm, giving the audience an expert view on background information, Shakespeare himself, and the play.

The performance kicks off at 7.30pm, at Rufford Old Hall, Rufford, near Preston.

For information and bookings call C'est Tous on 436664 or 431300.