AN afternoon of culture will be on the bill at the Quality Hotel this summer if an application to stage an open-air production of Shakespeare's Two Gentlemen of Verona air gets the go-ahead.

The 35-year-old theatre company MDCC hopes to stage the production on July 1 in the grounds of the Southcrest hotel and the application was due to be discussed by Redditch Council's licensing sub-committee today.

MDCC has performed annually at the hotel for the last two years and the last production, Hamlet, took place on July 2 last year.

Business manager Petrina Muscroft said: "We have done open-air theatre for 35 years and have performed at Coughton Court but were looking for a venue closer to Redditch and Birmingham.

"We welcome everyone from 0-99 years of age and had some pupils from Birchensale Middle School come to see Hamlet last year, who we will be inviting again."

The application is for an occasional theatre licence, to be in force from 2-5pm.

No objections have been made, subject to a fire safety risk assessment being carried out before the production.

Tickets cost £5 or £4 (concessions) from the Quality Hotel on 541511 or from the Tourist Information Centre.