Exeter's popular Northcott Theatre has revealed its new Autumn-Winter Season for 2008/09.

This is the third season for the theatre-producing venue since it reopened last Christmas following a £2.1m refit.

The huge range of performing arts events contained in the Autumn-Winter Season includes drama, contemporary dance, opera, pantomime, music, comedy, community and amateur performances.

With such a variety on offer, it is difficult to pick out highlights, but mention should be made of the season opener: a new adaptation by Mark Healy of Hardy's Far From the Madding Crowd, co-produced by English Touring Theatre and Exeter Northcott and starring Stephen Billington (Greg Kelly in Coronation Street) as Boldwood.

Among the new visitors to Exeter Northcott is one of the Arts Council's newest RFO's, Freedom Studios, with Happy & Married, directed by Madani Younis, also Lifeblood Theatre Company (with Shakespeare's Globe) with Glyn Maxwell's Liberty; Trestle Theatre Company and the Jasmin Vardimon Dance Company.

One night only events include Ronnie Scott's Jazz Orchestra and appearances by comedian Jeremy Hardy and TV architectural historian Dan Cruickshank.

Established companies returning this season include English Touring Opera, Richard Alston Dance Company and Pilot Theatre (with York Theatre Royal) with its award-winning adaptation of William Golding's Lord of the Flies.

Exeter Northcott Theatre Company will once again produce an in-house pantomime, The Sleeping Beauty, written and directed by artistic director Ben Crocker who leaves the venue in August after a very successful ten years at the helm.

Older members of Exeter Northcott's Young Company - part of the theatre's community participation programme - tackle Sarah Kane's Crave, and local performing arts school Stage by Stage perform The King and I.

More information can be found at www.exeternorthcott.co.uk and by calling the box office on 01392 493493.