A WICKED sheriff, some disaffected peasants, cracking one-liners - even a bear in the woods. Yes, Oddsocks are back in their own inimitable style.

The popular company, which next year celebrates its 30th anniversary, launched its winter tour at the intimate and friendly Conquest Theatre in Bromyard this week.

Robin Hood and the Revolting Peasants is a twist on the well-known tale of the outlaws of Sherwood Forest.

Somehow, the story manages to incorporate a contemporary angle by weaving political issues, rampant property development and even fracking among the flurry of humour and songs before the obligatory happy ending.

The words are written by Andy Barrow who also directs.

Andy founded the company with his wife Elli Mackenzie who, this time, is the producer and looks after the front-of-house memorabilia and programme sales.

Andy also plays the role of the sheriff with typical bravado while Dom Gee-Burch, another familiar figure from previous Oddsocks productions, is Robin Hood.

Of the other cast members, Ben Locke is another Oddsocks returner while Joanna Brown and Ellen Chivers are performing with the company for the first time.

All of them, in usual Oddsocks fashion, perform multiple roles are multi-instrumentalists and excel in their audience interaction, so much a feature of previous productions.

This latest visit was enthusiastically received by a packed house at Bromyard and the only disappointment from a Herefordshire perspective is that this was the only opportunity to see the production within the county.

For those prepared to travel a little way, however, Robin Hood and the Revolting Peasants can be seen in Telford on January 11 and in Bromsgrove two days later as part of a tour which takes the production all over the country and to the Channel Islands before concluding at the end of February.

Oddsocks visits are always a special treat - let's hope their summer production will be bringing them back to the county next year.