Titchfield Festival theatre returns to the beautiful outdoor setting of Titchfield Abbey near Fareham tonight with the opening performance of their mammoth summer season.

TFT's annual outdoor season is now in its third year and has expanded to include four major plays and a choral concert over a seven-week period.

Romeo and Juliet runs tonight and tomorrow and again from June 24 to 29.

This Shakespeare classic needs no introduction but TFT's staging benefits from the fact that - according to theatrical folklore - Romeo and Juliet may have been written and performed in part at Titchfield Abbey.

The season continues with an adaptation of the classic French swashbuckling novel The Three Musketeers on Friday July 4 and again from July 7 to July 13.

It's then back to Shakespeare for The Taming of The Shrew. The production of this controversial play about the feisty Katarina who refuses to be wooed is given a distinctive Latin flavour. Taming plays from July 22 to July 27.

The final play is the As You Like It, set in the magical Forest of Arden. This too has strong Titchfield connections in that it is said that it was written by William Shakespeare to celebrate the Earl of Southampton's wedding at Titchfield. As You Like It runs from August 1 to 9.

If that isn't enough to whet the average theatregoer's appetite, TFT are also presenting a feast of classical music in an open air choral concert to be staged on July 5 at the Abbey. The programme includes Haydn's Nelson Mass as well as The Hallelujah Chorus and Zadok the Priest and will feature TFT's own 70-strong choir and 30 piece orchestra.

Performances: 8pm. Tickets: from £10. Box office: 01329 849543.