A NEWPORT man won a competition that could see his play staged in the birthplace of Shakespeare.

Phil Mansell’s play Poor Yorick has won a Newport Playgoers competition which will see the piece performed with three other winners at the group’s Dolman Theatre at the No Holds Bard festival from March 15 to March 17.

All four will also be submitted as part of the society’s contribution to the nationwide Royal Shakespeare Company’s Open Stages project.

The project could see one of the plays performed at the company’s base in Stratford. More than 260 amateur dramatic companies are taking part.

Mr Mansell’s play Poor Yorick tells how Hamlet’s jester attempted to pioneer stamp-up comedy but failed and was forced to return to Elsinore to get his old job back, only to become embroiled in Hamlet’s plans for revenge.

“The aim of the competition, which had entries from as far away as America, was to give a modern take on Shakespeare and create something today’s audiences will enjoy and find totally accessible,” said Mr Mansell.

The No Holds Bard event will also feature the other three winners – Only Words Remain by Kevin Myers, from Cardiff, To Sleep Perchance to Die by Russell Walker, from Bristol, and Roman and Julia by Gary Dooley, of Nottingham.

The festival takes place from March 15 to March 17. Tickets can be booked by calling the box office on 01633 263670 or by visiting dolmantheatre.co.uk