FUNNY bones will be tickled when a well-established drama group stages a comedy to mark its golden anniversary.

The Rubery Drama Group have been entertaining audiences for 50 years and intend to continue the tradition by putting on Farndale's Macbeth, a comedy staged at the Edinburgh Festival in 1983.

However, the successful group hit troubled times five or six years ago and their future looked uncertain.

Director of the group David Morris said: "I have been part of the group since the 1960s, and we have had around 30 members. You always get people leaving for one reason or another, but then you get new faces joining. But a few years ago people were leaving and no one was joining.

"I did not really understand why, I suppose entertainment is more easily accessible, with home computers and cinemas, people are less inclined to want to come and rehearse plays.

"I thought we would not be able to continue with the group but then we had some new people join us and now we are celebrating 50 years."

The group now has around 14 regular members, meeting every Wednesday, at the Beacon Church Centre in Whetty Lane, and thespians interested in becoming involved should contact David on (0121) 453 8733.