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Thirty-nine brand new short plays for one or two actors will debut in Cambridge this weeekend as local scriptwriting forum WRiTEON presents its annual MAD - Monologues and Duologues - Festival 2010. The festival - a chance for aspiring theatre writers to see their short pieces performed by a mix of professional and amateur actors - takes place for the first time in the festival’s history in the bar of the ADC Theatre. Artistic director Sarah Ingram explains, "Last year’s MAD Festival took place in the ADC’s Larkum studio but audiences like the format so much - at least six short plays every night, plus the chance to air your views about the work at the end - that we sold out every night. So the ADC offered us the chance to move to the bar area, where we can seat a larger audience." Plays at the festival are performed as readings: rehearsed and with simple staging but with scripts in hand. Priority is given to writers from Cambridgeshire but this year’s programme also features plays from writers as far afield as New York City and Finland. Plays are in all genres - this year’s festival includes sketch comedy, kitchen sink drama and period pieces by authors including Trevor Suthers, Trish Rawson, Julia Bolden, Alan Dignam and Will Tate. Actors include Robert Jezek (Last Chance Harvey, Dr Who), Simon Kelly (My Left Foot), Sarah Kenyon (The Odd Couple, Hayton on Homicide) and many more. Each evening’s performance is followed by an optional feedback session where the audience can let writers know what they think of the new plays. For the second time, the Cambridge Storytellers will be joining the MAD festival, with two storytellers performing as part of the programme on the 11th July. Plays introduced in WRiTEON’s readings have gone on to productions and festivals throughout the country. The group welcomes new writers, actors, directors and supporters. See www.writeon.org.uk for more information.