Royal Ascot comes to the Paget Rooms next week when Penarth Operatic & Dramatic Society (PODS) will be staging the comedy, Ladies' Day, by Amanda Whittington.

In 2005, Royal Ascot temporarily relocated to York during a major re-development of Ascot Racetrack. Playwright Amanda Whittington captured this moment in her life-affirming comedy drama.

The story gives us a glimpse into the life of four fish factory workers from Hull – Pearl who's about to leave the fish factory to spend more time with her husband; Jan, a single mother whose only daughter is about to go to university; Shelley, a wannabe TV star; and Linda, a simple sweetheart who has a challenging family life - who decide they need a day away from their predictable work lives.

For her leaving do, Pearl suggests a girls' day out to the races to celebrate her departure from the factory. After struggling to secure tickets, a lucky find gets them into the event. As the four friends begin to enjoy their day, their personal lives and relationships are unveiled in both humorous and somewhat more heartfelt interactions.

Talking about Ladies' Day, its writer, Amanda Whittington said "I think what audiences enjoy about it is that it's about ordinary life, and I mean that in the best sense of the word. Four ordinary women have an extraordinary experience and without wishing to give it all away, they come close to winning a huge amount of money."

"I think people enjoy seeing other people's lives suddenly transformed in the space of a day. It's funny and poignant and the characters are very familiar."

PODS has been providing first class entertainment for the local community for almost 100 years and recently won a host of awards for two of its recent productions – The Full Monty and The Good Life – at the annual Glamorgan Drama League and NODA awards.

2024 will see PODS celebrating its centenary with a special programme of drama and musical productions throughout the year.

Ladies' Day is on at the Paget Rooms in Penarth from Wednesday 11th to Saturday 14th October at 7.30pm. Tickets can be booked online at www.ticketsource.co.uk/pods