TWO plays by Alan Bennett, Northern Broadsides in a political satire set in Brexit Britain and Phoenix Dance Theatre’s new Windrush work stand out in York Theatre Royal’s autumn and winter line-up.

Award-winning actor Matthew Kelly returns to York, as does the international hit version of J B Priestley's An Inspector Calls, which began life at the Theatre Royal nearly 30 years ago.

Kelly and David Yelland star in The Habit Of Art from August 30 to September 8: the first revival since Alan Bennett's play was premiered at London’s National Theatre in 2009. Philip Franks directs this York Theatre Royal and Original Theatre Company co-production of the Leeds playwright's account of a meeting between the York-born poet W H Auden and the composer Benjamin Britten.

Stephen Daldry’s production of Bradford playwright J B Priestley's An Inspector Calls has won more awards than any other play in history. Now a new British and American tour will open at Theatre Royal, from September 14 to 22, recalling how Daldry first directed his reimagining of Priestley's mystery drama in York before doing likewise at the National Theatre.

After co-producing When We Are Married, York Theatre Royal and Northern Broadsides join forces anew for They Don’t Pay? We Won’t Pay! from October 5 to 13. Deborah McAndrew’s new version transposes Italian actor-playwright Dario Fo’s political satire of civil disobedience Can’t Pay? Won’t Pay! to Brexit Britain. Conrad Nelson, Broadsides' new artistic director and joint chief executive officer, directs, saying: “Our adaptation gives us the opportunity to bring a fresh and vibrant voice to the work while remaining faithful to the play and the original intentions of the author."

York Theatre Royal and regular creative partners Tutti Frutti, the Leeds children's theatre company, present Snow Queen from September 27 to October 13. Ivan Stott returns to Tutti Frutti to create songs and music for York playwright Mike Kenny's adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s story, directed by Wendy Harris.

Gecko visit York from October 17 to 20 with Missing, Amit Lahav’s invitation to experience a series of extraordinary images, jaw-dropping choreography and a tantalising multilingual vocal landscape. The following week, York Opera stages Bizet's Carmen, sung in English and supported by a full orchestra, from October 23 to 27.

On November 1 and 2, Phoenix Dance Theatre artistic director Sharon Watson’s new dance work, Windrush: Movement Of The People, celebrates the 70th anniversary of the arrival of the SS Windrush, bringing the first large numbers of Caribbean migrants to Britain.

The Lakes Season sends five productions from Keswick's Theatre by the Lake to York. Theatre Royal associate director Juliet Forster directs Sense & Sensibility, from November 6 to10, adapted from Jane Austen’s novel by Jessica Swale, who also adapted the Theatre Royal’s upcoming summer show The Secret Garden.

Alan Bennett’s Single Spies, on November 13 and 14, explores the world of spies Guy Burgess and Anthony Blunt with a little help from the Queen. The Goodale Brothers' Jeeves & Wooster In Perfect Nonsense, on November 16 and 17, is taken from the works of P. G. Wodehouse with three actors playing myriad characters.

Two more Lakes Season shows feature in the Studio: Bold Girls, set in 1991 West Belfast, where the revelations of a mysterious young woman upsets the lives of three friend, on November 13 and 14, and Rails, Simon Longman’s funny, poignant and emotionally arresting new play, on November 16 and 17.

London Classic Theatre stage the most commonly performed work by a female playwright worldwide, Charlotte Keatley’s My Mother Said I Never Should, dierected by Michael Cabot, from November 20 to 24. Keatley examines the lives of four women through the immense social changes of the 20th century, focusing on four generations of one family as they confront the most significant moments of their lives.

The Ballet Black Double Bill on November 27 features The Suit, choreographed and directed by Cathy Marston and inspired by Can Themba’s South African fable The Suit. Elizabeth Mansfield, last seen as Edith Piaf in the spring Theatre Royal season, returns as "the greatest music hall artist of all time" in Marie: The Story Of Marie Lloyd on November 28, with proceeds going to the theatre’s work with people in the community. An Evening of Eric & Ernie At Christmas, on December 1, pays homage to Morecambe and Wise’s Christmas TV shows.

Last winter's first Studio Christmas show for younger audiences, Book Of Dragons, will be followed up by The Elves And the Shoemakers, Mike Kenny's version of the Grimm fairy tale, directed by Juliet Forster, from December 11 to January 5. Dame Berwick Kaler celebrates his 40th pantomime anniversary with The Grand Old Dame Of York from December 13 to February 2.

Looking forward to 2019, Kneehigh alumnus Emma Rice’s new company, Wise Children, brings Angela Carter’s novel Wise Children from London’s Old Vic to York from March 5 to 16. This big, bawdy tangle of theatrical joy and heartbreak is a celebration of showbusiness, family, forgiveness and hope. Expect showgirls and Shakespeare, sex and scandal, music, mischief and mistaken identity – and butterflies by the thousand.

Before that, the penguins are heading to York in Madagascar: A Musical Adventure, featuring all the favourites from the Dreamworks animated movie, from February 26 Feb to March 2.

Tickets are on sale at yorktheatreroyal.co.uk or on 01904 623568.