Music and comedy will be hand-in-hand with theatre productions when the HighTide Festival returns to Halesworth for a seventh instalment.

The popular festival will return to the town from May 2-12, with five main plays and music added to the line-up for the first time.

Festival artistic director Steven Atkinson said it was the most diverse line-up to date as he announced the main plays.

He said: 'It is an expansion of the idea of the festival, with something for everyone. Whatever your tastes there should be something in there that will be really exciting.'

The five main plays will be Neighbors by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Pastoral by Thomas Eccleshare, Smallholding by Chris Dunkley, Moth by Declan Greene and Bottleneck by Luke Barrnes.

Mr Atkinson said that it was the first time all of the main plays had already been lined up for touring runs after the festival. 'It is really significant and shows how highly regarded these plays are,' he said.

The festival will also act as a showcase to new touring work including Michaela Cole's award winning Chewing Gum Dreams and Eastern Angles' latest production.

Among the music will be a late-night jazz club featuring Polly Gibbons and the Hackney Colliery Band. Comedy will come from Thom Tuck.

Roger Michell, the director of Notting Hill and Enduring Love, will be in conversation, while there will be book readings and signings from Piers Torday, who wrote the The Last Wild, and Nigel Cliff, who wrote The Last Crusade.

Visit www.hightide.org.uk for ticket details.