What’s that coming over Ramshill? Is it a Monstrous Regiment?

It certainly is, as The Winton Players are bringing their version of the Terry Pratchett classic to Petersfield Festival Hall.

The Discworld favourite adapted by Stephen Briggs was put forward by director Em Sefton-Smith as the group’s autumn production with the curtain lifting on a three-night run on Thursday, October 16.

To quote the Kinks classic, Lola, boys will girls and girls will be boys in this mixed-up world, with the play casting an eye on gender identity and equality.

And that is one of the reasons why Sefton-Smith thought it was time to give audiences a taste of Terry’s all gold.

She said: “I adore this play so much and one of the reasons I put it forward is because it’s got such a massed ensemble and there’s such wonderful characterisation.

“Every character has got something about them, but it’s also a heartbreaking beautiful story about gender identity and gender norms within society.”

Karla Welch plays the lead role as Polly, a girl who has to become a boy – and fast – after her country finds itself at war and her brother enlists.

She needs to sign up to find him, but keeping her real identity a secret is just one of her problems with her troop taking the fight to the biggest stronghold in the country.

Chuck in the army’s most cunning sergeant, a vampire officially pretending not to be one, and a wet blanket for a lieutenant, and you’ve got a classic Pratchett tale.

It’s also surely worth it to see Ben Gander playing a Blouse. Shows are from 7.30pm with a 2.30pm matinee on the Saturday (October 18), tickets £15 for adults and £10 for under 18s from the Town Visitor Centre or www.thefestivalhall.co.uk