CHELSEA and Hampton Court Flower Shows may be over but the garden theme continues in Winchester's Chesil Theatre's final show for the summer season.

Something more troublesome than brambles is lurking among the roses in Alan Ayckbourn's cynical comedy masterpiece Round and Round the Garden which opens on Monday.

The eccentric and unpredictable Norman conspires to take his sister-in-law Annie away for a secret weekend. She imagines a luxury hotel by the sea, but Norman has other plans. Annie's brother Reg and his wife Sarah duly arrive to look after the house and ageing mother.

But when Annie changes her mind and decides to stay at home, and the slow-thinking neighbour Tom mistakes Norman's wife Ruth's intentions, all hell breaks loose with hilarious consequences.

Round and Round the Garden is one of a trio of ingeniously clever comedies collectively entitled The Norman Conquests by the popular playwright Alan Ayckbourn.

Having premiered at the Library Theatre, Scarborough, it was first performed in London at the Globe Theatre in 1974 with an all-star line-up of Tom Courtenay, Michael Gambon, Penelope Keith and Felicity Kendal.

21-26 July, Chesil Theatre, Winchester. Performances: 7.45pm. Tickets: from £8. Box office: 01962 877977.