NEXT month sees a host of free arts and entertainment events during Bournemouth Universities’ Festival of Learning.

Theatre productions, flash fiction competitions and writing workshops are among the activities on offer from Monday, June 9 to Sunday, June 15.

These include talks explor-ing why Doctor Who has become such a cultural phenomenon, performances of popular theatre productions, and workshops to give those who’ve always wanted to write a novel the skills and confidence to get started.

John Foster, a BAFTA-winning writer and screen-writer-in-residence at Bourne-mouth University, is running free workshops with his theatre production company Doppelganger Dialogues during the event.

There will also be two performances of John’s play The Murder Wife, about a suburban housewife who finds out she’s married to a serial killer.

They will take place at BU’s Talbot Campus and The Winchester pub in Bourne-mouth, and will be followed by question and answer sessions with the cast and crew.

“Although we are a fringe theatre company, we produce highly charged dramatic theatre and wish to reach a popular audience; we are not obscurest but wish to engage and communicate with aud-iences,” said John.

“In last year's festival, we presented a play called Five Go Killing which was a sell-out and we hope to repeat the same this year.

“This is exciting dramatic theatre which I am sure will engage people as it did last year.”

Festival of Learning events are open to all and take place at the university’s Talbot and Lansdowne campuses, as well as at locations across Dorset.

For more details, or to book on to an event, visit bournemouth.ac.uk or call 01202 962362.