THE Ledbury Amateur Dramatic Society are in the final stages of rehearsals for their latest show — Hobson’s Choice.

The LADS will be performing Harold Brighouse’s classic comedy at the town’s Market Theatre from Wednesday to Saturday, October 20-23.

The show will be the first chance the theatre group has had to perform together since the pandemic struck.

The title of the play is taken from the expression ‘Hobson’s choice’ — meaning no choice at all. Although written 100 years ago, the theme of female empowerment feels very contemporary today.

It tells the tale of a shoemaker, Henry Hobson, who has three daughters: Maggie, Alice and Vickey. The daughters work in the shop unpaid, while Hobson spends his time drinking at the local pub.

Daughter Maggie, a talented businesswoman, decides to set up a rival shoe making business. Hobson’s fortunes rapidly decline as business is lost and his drinking increases. Like King Lear, he appeals to all three of his daughters for support, but this is not forthcoming… at leas, not in quite the way he wanted.

The curtain goes up at 7.30pm each night and standard tickets are £11 and £8 for students. All tickets must be pre-booked by visiting themarkettheatre.com or calling 07967 517125.

Also next week, Bromyard’s Conquest Theatre is preparing to present a production of the Little Shop of Horrors from Tuesday to Saturday, October 19-23. The show opens at 7.30pm with an additional matinee performance on Saturday.

Directed by 2019 Chicago director Rebecca Cook, the sci-fi horror musical comes with a 1960s pop/rock score by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman.

Seymour Krelborn is a meek and dejected shop assistant who works at a florists. One day, he finds a strange plant, which he names “Audrey II” after a girl he likes. Little does he know that this plant will develop a soulful R&B voice, a potty mouth and a thirst for human blood. Just when it’s too late, Seymour discovers Audrey II’s extra-terrestrial origins and drive for world domination.

Tickets at £15 are available via conquest-theatre.co.uk or by calling 01885 488575.