JB Shorts is ideal for both seasoned theatre goers and anyone who fancies trying theatre for the first time – six short plays by six television writers, starring 19 actors.

In fact it is like being in a pitching session, watching everyone trying out new ideas, each one just 15 minutes long. If you are not sure about one, another one will be coming along soon. That’s the beauty of JB Shorts, it is a diverse selection and there will always be something to love and something to debate.

Launched in 2009 by Trevor Suthers and John Chambers in the basement of Joshua Brooks with writers Peter Kerry, James Quinn, Lindsay Williams, Dave Simpson and Diane Whitley, it has now reached the incredible number 19 and is growing bigger every time.

It is now selling out the much larger 53two and has become a massive social event with much hugging and networking in the bar before the shows start.

It’s a good job we had the programme because there were so many familiar faces both on stage – and in the audience – that we wanted to identify.

Between the actors and the writers in JB19, they have worked with Coronation Street, Emmerdale, Mount Pleasant, The Royal, Doctors, Casualty, Cold Feet, Hollyoaks, Scott and Bailey, No Offence, Dr Who, Early Doors, Last Tango in Halifax, Shameless, and much much more.

I’ve Tried it Once by Dave Simpson was a good opener telling the story of a couple’s sex life with fabulous comic timing, directed by Alice Bartlett and starring Victoria Scowcroft and Shaun Hennessy, making his debut at JB with very impressive fast changing wigs and accents.

One of Our Boys by Trevor Suthers questioned the futility of war as Steve (Keaton Tyler Lansley) comes home early injured. He doesn’t want a hero’s welcome, he doesn’t feel like a hero and starts arguing with the women closest to him, Liz Carney, Sasha Corfield and Natalie Edinburgh.

Being in Manchester, it seemed very appropriate that Our Club by Ben Tagoe featured a football club takeover and a debate of who the club belonged to, starring Sonia Ibrahim, Paul Fox and Sandra Cole.

The second half opened with prison drama The Stretch by Joe Ainsworth, which was an incredible monologue delivered in rhyme by James Lewis, encouraged by David Howell’s prison officer.

Without revealing any spoilers we loved the twists and turns of Equivalent by and starring James Quinn, verbally sparring with Meriel Schofield.

It was capped off by an hilarious War and Peace condensed 15 minutes by Peter Kerry and Lindsay Williams, complete with mops as horses, mock fight scenes and characters running on stage on the middle of frantic costume changes.

Rob Mallard (Daniel Osbourne in Corrie) played Andrei, alongside Emily Spowage (Natasha), Amy Drake (Helen / Lise/ Napoloeon), Lucie Brown (Editor/Sonya), Alex Phelps (Pierre) and Robin Simpson (Nikolai / Antole / Tolstoy).

With this much talent in the acting and the writing team JB Shorts has sold out the evening shows but there are still some tickets available for the 3pm matinee on Saturday 5 May via wegottickets.com/jbshorts

WARNING KLAXON!!! @Jbshortsplays is SOLD OUT for tonight & Saturday night! Oh dear… didn’t get a ticket? You’re ‘those people’!!! #MajorFOMO #MancMade pic.twitter.com/yqMCPD6J0s

— 53two (@53two) May 4, 2018

The good news that is not the end of the story. Trevor Suthers is back in the summer with The Truth About Blokes, three playlets about blokes, 2-4 July at the King’s Arms in Salford, as part of Greater Manchester Fringe.

Jnr JB Shorts, six plays by TV writers performed by young actors, is on 19-20 July at The Way Theatre in Victoria Mill, Atherton, and International Anthony Burgess Foundation on Saturday 21 July, also as part of GMFringe.

Tickets for Greater Manchester Fringe 1-31 July 2-18 are available here.

For more details on JB Shorts 20 in November – and you really do not want to miss out on this – visit jbshorts.co.uk