'Dorset, 1921: 30 years ago, Lady Kitty abandoned her husband and young son to run away with politician Lord Porteous.

'Kitty returns from exile in Italy, worn down by age but clinging to her glamorous past. At the family reunion, she discovers that her daughter-in-law Elizabeth is tempted to embark on an affair leaving Kitty, as events turn full circle, to decide whether or not to encourage the elopement.'

And there is your briefing for Somerset Maughan's social satire The Circle, which begins a five-day stay at Milton Keynes Theatre from Tuesday.

Cast in the lead role is one of our finest actresses, and a lady who has twice lit up our environment previously – in 2005 she was here in Lady In The Van, and last year she came back in The Bargain.

Regular-theatre watchers will know already that we are talking about the annoyingly youthful looking (What is your secret? Please spill the details!) Susan Hampshire.

Bertie Carvel and Anna Farnworth also star, and show times are 7.30pm, Tuesday to Saturday, with additional matinee performances on Wednesday and Saturday at 2.30pm.

Tickets range between £11 and £26, and you can go make those bookings right away on 0870 060 6652.

>> Before we sign off, we should also make mention of Jonathan Church. Working in his third season as Artistic Director of Chichester Festival Theatre, he is at the reins of this piece, but many of you will have seen his work before now.

Remember the two-part epic hit Nicholas Nickleby, which stunned viewers at our theatre last year? Jonathan's delivery too, that was.