Max Sly, who recently starred in Oh What A Lovely War, is back on stage again as part of the national Shakespeare festival.

Max, a student at New College in Swindon, is taking part in Titus Andonicus, the college’s entry in the annual Shakespeare Schools Festival at the Wyvern Theatre on Tuesday, October 14.

The festival attracts more than 1,000 schools each year and 150 professional theatres, which stage 30 minute adaptations of various famous Bard plays. Max, 18, is a chip off the old block in the acting stakes as he is the son of Mike and Nikki Sly who are stalwarts from the town’s amateur theatre scene, and members of the Phoenix Theatre Company.

Max is a member of the award-winning Whole Hog Theatre Company, who have scooped various trophies in the Harold Jolliffe One Act Play Festival. Joining Max in the cast of the bloody tragedy are Jamie Carter, William Haywood, Lucinda Lowe, Grace Scott and Callum Simpson.

They are rehearsing in the college’s Phoenix Theatre. Matthew Clift, the manager of the Phoenix Theatre, said: “Titus Andronicus is one of Shakespeare’s early plays, first staged in 1594 and it is the Elizabethan equivalent of a video nasty! The most recent production, at the Globe Theatre in London caused audiences to faint at the sheer amount of blood on stage! “Our version will be a bit more subtle. Think STOMP meets Cirque du Soleil,’’ he said.

The Swindon heat of the festival runs over two days, from 7pm, on Monday, October 13 and Tuesday, October 14 and tickets at £8.75, concessions: £6.75 are available from 01793 524481.- Flicky Harrison