THE former manager of Johnson's the Jewellers in Maryport Street, Pip Utton, returns to Devizes this summer in a very different guise.

As part of Devizes Festival, Mr Utton transforms himself into the German Nazi dictator, Adolf Hitler in Adolf, a play which he has written himself based on Hitler's autobiography Mein Kampf (My Struggle).

Mr Utton, who has been a professional actor for many years, plumbs the source of Hitler's racism and exposes just how near the surface of our own lives lurks its insidious influence.

Adolf is on at the Wharf Theatre on June 4.

The 2005 festival programme, already distributed among Friends of Devizes Festival and shortly to become publicly available, features a bevy of superb musical, theatrical and artistic events.

It starts off on June 3 with a visit from Claire Martin, five times winner of a British Jazz Award.

TV news presenter George Alagiah is at the town hall on June 7. Mr Alagiah will be speaking on his experiences as a foreign correspondent for the BBC. Another broadcasting star, comedian and satirist Jeremy Hardy, is at the Corn Exchange on June 8,

The Bronte Quartet visit on June 9 and there is an organ recital at St Mary's Church on June 11 by organist, Catherine Ennis, while the Lendvai Trio perform at St John's Church on June 12 as part of the Devizes Twinning Weekend.

There are also blues, jazz and folk concerts and the opportunity to learn how to tango.

The Devizes Festival fringe has a packed programme with Fringe Jazz Day on June 19.

The festival brochure will be available from May with a feature in the Gazette and Herald on May 19.