Wassailing, mummer plays, holly, ivy and sumptuous festive fayre all sum up a medieval Christmas.

The script writers, singers and actors of Madam Renards are taking a pot pourri of music and theatrical feasts that sprang from Yuletides of long ago and creating their own Winter Masque.

On Thursday, December 18 the audience is requested to dress for an evening of sumptuous elegance at Riffs Bar, Greatfield, near Hook, in Swindon, as the festivities get underway from 7.30pm.

Madam Renards’ theatre company promotes professional performing arts in the town encouraging both actors and audiences to challenge their perceptions of theatre and venture outside their comfort zones.

The trio at the core of Madam Renards are Matt Fox, his wife Jessie Thompson and Becci Smith. Matt studied at the Royal Holloway for his degree in English and also won an MA in professional writing before moving to Swindon in 2006. He wrote Swindon the Opera with Betty Roe and is trustee for music education charity the Janice Thompson Performance Trust. He and Jessie are currently working on a new work for the 2015 Mini Fringe in Swindon.

Jessie is a freelance musical director, vocal coach, musical arranger and tutor at the JTP Trust. She studied at the University of London and has worked on various creations with Matt, including an adaptation of John Gay’s The Beggar’s Opera and Nights.

Becci is a classical soprano and a member of the JTPTrust. She also teaches in Reading and joined Madam Renards a year ago.

Tickets to the Winter Masque are £10 on the door. - Flicky Harrison.