PROFESSIONAL theatre may have the capacity for bigger audiences, but in Preston, amateur groups have just as much to offer.

Take a look at a programme for the Preston Playhouse theatre on Market Street West, and a host of local talent is revealed.

Each month the Playhouse hosts a new performance by one of the many amateur groups from the Preston area.

February still has two performances of the Preston Drama Club's Breaking the Code, the true-life tale of Alan Turing, the mathematician who cracked the German's Enigma code during the Second World War. Seats are available until February 23.

And soon, March will see brand new productions of comedy thriller Murdered to Death, by the Schoolhouse group; the Odd Couple by the Grimsargh Players, and Annie Get Your Gun, by the Players Drama School.

Murdered to Death runs from Wednesday, March 6 to Saturday, March 9.

The hilarious spoof of Agatha Christie-style murder mysteries is set in a country manor house in the 1930s, with a brilliant assortment of characters.

All the classic murder mystery characters are present -- a bumbling detective, an English Colonel, and a shady art dealer.

Then Neil Simon's famous comedy The Odd Couple comes to the Playhouse from Wednesday, March 20 to Saturday, March 23.

The Grimsargh Players have pulled out all the stops to recreate this timeless classic, most famous for the film staring Walter Mathau and Jack Lemmon.

Finally March sees Annie Get Your Gun, the famous Western by Irving Berlin, from Wednesday, March 27 to Saturday, March 30.

The Players Drama School recreate the Old West to tell the tale of Annie, with hit songs like 'There's no business like show business,' and 'Anything you can do I can do better.'

For more information on any of the plays, ring Preston Drama Club on 744771, the Schoolhouse on 720407, Grimsargh Players on 652353, and the Players Drama Club on 697100.