Highlights include the theatre's own bold new production of The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie and a ground-breaking adaptation of Othello.

Royal & Derngate welcomes the best of national and international performers this autumn, bringing a diverse programme of drama, dance, music and comedy to Northampton, along with blockbuster musicals The Witches Of Eastwick, Can't Smile Without You and Cabaret.

The season culminates with colourful Christmas show The Wizard Of Oz and sensational family pantomime Cinderella.

The season starts with the spectacular Circus Oz, coming to Northampton for the first time as one of only five UK venues on their tour, from September 10 to 12.

For our guide to the week's leisure scene, click here

Other great plays taking to the Royal stage this autumn include an award-winning adaptation of the William Golding novel The Lord Of The Flies (October 21 to 25), and the classic Sherlock Holmes tale The Hound of the Baskervilles (November 3 to 8), starring Peter Egan and Phillip Franks.

West End hit Alex comes to Northampton from November 10 to 15, with Robert Bathurst bringing Britain's favourite cartoon city slicker to three-dimensional life.

Royal & Derngate is also one of the sponsors of the Total Theatre Awards in Edinburgh this summer and will be staging the mini-festival From The Fringes in Northampton from October 28 to November 1 – a week of theatre and entertainment hand-picked from the best of the Edinburgh Fringe this August. Full details will be announced soon.

From October 27 to November 1, the hit show Stomp will be making a noise in the Derngate, while the third annual Arnold Festival celebrates the life and works of Northampton's own Sir Malcolm Arnold, the prolific composer, with recitals and talks taking place all around the building throughout the weekend October 18.

Then at Christmas Royal & Derngate offers two shows for families to enjoy.

In the Royal auditorium you can follow the yellow brick road to help Dorothy and her faithful friends Tinman, Scarecrow and cowardly Lion on their magical, musical adventure in The Wizard Of Oz from December 3 to January 11.

Meanwhile, in the Derngate auditorium this year's pantomime is the best-loved of all fairy stories, Cinderella, running from December 12 to January 11 and starring pop sensation Jimmy Osmond as the lovable Buttons.

There are also a host of other shows this season offering entertainment to suit all tastes.

There's music from folk rock heroes The Levellers, soul legend Billy Ocean, The Temptations with Otis Williams, classical songbird Hayley Westenra and top singer/songwriter Billy Bragg.

Also visiting are comedians Russell Howard and Paddy McGuinness.

For lovers of dance, the fantastic Balletboyz present their Greatest Hits!, and the Stephen Petronio Company performs some new work set to music composed specially by Rufus Wainwright.

Tickets for all shows in the autumn season are on sale now and can be booked by calling the box office on 01604 624811 or at www.royalandderngate.co.uk.