After a big build-up to Christmas and the inevitable process of winding down from all the feasting and socialising, it might be nice to take some time out and relax by seeing a quality theatre production.

On Tuesday December 27 the season of Port Arthur History Plays gets underway, giving Tasmanian audiences and visitors to the island state a chance to enjoy a wonderful series of short dramas depicting various stories from the region's fascinating past.

Running until January 27, 2012 the performances take place at different locations on the Port Arthur Historic Site, so you can either come along for one quick show or spend the day watching each unique play and wandering the historic grounds in between shows.

The Man Who Threw a Stone will be shown at the Separate Prison and tells the story of an old convict who protests through a hunger strike.

Behind the Penitentiary you can see The Shingle Strike, a play about Irish poet Francis Macnamara's endeavour to defy his bullying overseer, while A Boy's Life is centred around a London street kid's journey to Point Puer.

All three productions are the work of excellent Tasmanian playwrights and with admission to performances included in the cost of your entry to the site, it is an ideal activity for travellers on a budget.