Harrogate Theatre's autumn and winter season

Building on the success of her first year, when audiences averaged 75 per cent, artistic director Hannah Chissick has put together a programme that once more complements repertory work with touring shows.

Shows vary from this week's HT2 youth theatre production of Bertolt Brecht's The Resistible Rise Of Arturo Ui to Swansea City Opera's The Barber Of Seville; film critic Barry Norman to BBC Radio 4 early-morning sage Rabbi Lionel Blue; and Henrik Ibsen's Ghosts to the Christmas pantomime, Mother Goose.

Chissick directs the first repertory show of the season, the Yorkshire premiere of Terry Johnson's Cleo, Camping, Emmanuelle And Dick, from September 3 to 25.

Based on the vivacious stars of the Carry On series of films, Sid James, Barbara Windsor and Kenneth Williams, this bittersweet homage to the era exposes the lives, laughs, loves and losses that lay beyond the silver screen.

Tenderly weaving the cheeky Carry On comedy with poignant moments of sadness, this play won the Olivier Award for Best Comedy in 1998 when premiered at the National Theatre, London. Another Johnson play, Insignificance, was staged at Harrogate Theatre in 1999.

Chissick directs James McFarlane's translation of Ghosts, Ibsen's searing study of duty, adultery and betrayal, from October 15 to November 6. This social drama journeys through the complexities of lust, love and its familial consequences, and caused outrage when first published in 1881, not being performed in Europe until two years later.

Writer Nicholas Pegg and director Lennox Greaves reunite for another pantomime, this time taking audiences on a wild goose chase through the fairytale Mother Goose from November 26 to January 8. November 26, you say? Yes, Harrogate's panto will start earlier than ever this year.

Following last year's sell-out production of Side By Side By Sondheim, Chissick will serve up more dinner and cabaret theatre in the Studio when presenting Stephen Sondheim's Putting It Together from December 4 to January 2.

"Dinner theatre is all too rare an occasion, which makes Putting It Together such a unique event," she says. "Set in the intimate studio space, this is the candlelit, black tie affair that is performed and catered exclusively for you and your friends."

Originally performed in 1992, Stephen Sondheim's second revue show combines memorable songs from his Tony Award-winning shows, including Company, Follies, A Little Night Music and Sunday in the Park With George. Early booking is advised.

Barry Norman leads off the touring shows with recollections of his life in films on September 28. The Sing-A-Long-A-Extravaganza incorporates The Sound Of Music on October 1, Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, October 2 at 2.30pm, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, October 2 at 8pm. These interactive, singalong screenings feature a vocal warm-up, fancy-dress competition and goodie bag full of props to use throughout the films.

Dead Earnest Theatre follows up last season's sell-out performance of Stalingrad with Comfort, a new show written and directed by Ashley Barnes, from October 5 to 9 in the run up to Mental Health Day on October 10. Exploring the ties that pull families together and the lies that tear them apart, Barnes charts a young man's determined search to uncover the true story behind his father's death. As he delves into the past, he is forced to confront his own behaviour and to question whether it is ruled by his life experience or his genetic profile.

The Cavern Beatles visit Harrogate on January 12, 2005; Swansea City Opera (formerly Opera Box) presents Rossini's The Barber Of Seville, on January 14 and 15; and story-telling Rabbi Lionel Blue offers spiritual insight on January 18. The Moving Hands Theatre Company and Birmingham Rep production of The Ugly Eagle combines storytelling, dance, animation, puppets and projections in a show for children aged three and upwards from January 20 to 22.

For tickets and brochures, ring 01423 502 116.

Updated: 15:28 Thursday, August 19, 2004