BOURNEMOUTH-based Artemis Actor’s Company is gearing up to bring fringe theatre back to the region’s pubs.

The dedicated team of professional actors, performers and technicians led by director Christina Artemis, will stage performances at The Winchester pub, on Bournemouth’s Poole Hill, including a series of rehearsed readings on the first Tuesday of every month.

Actors will take a play each month, rehearse it the day before and then perform the play with the script in hand.

A forum-type discussion with actors and writers will follow as a way of gaining valuable audience feedback, in order to improve on performance and writing skills for future productions.

The first full-length play from the company, Doorways, is being held on July 26 and 29 at the Winchester and at the Portman Hotel, Ashley Road, Boscombe, on July 30.

An original play by local writer and actor Steven Murphy, Doorways is a dark comedy that documents a week in the life of two bouncers – one trying to define their masculinity whilst the other is struggling to survive.

Director and company founder, Christina Artemis, says: “London fringe theatre is booming but it is really lacking in the outer regions.

“I thought it was time to bring fringe theatre to the area, partly because of the credit crunch – people are doing different things socially.

“What we’re doing is very contemporary, so it will appeal to a much wider audience.”