FROM Simon Callow to Agatha Christie and Ken Dodd; chuck in a few great shows before we get to the Chuckle Brothers annual panto and Darlington Civic’s autumn programme of events has it all covered.

Famous for his Shakespearian performances and the hit film Four Weddings and a Funeral, Simon Callow takes on the role of his life in a new one-man play which examines the character of Jesus. The Man Jesus is a new play by Matthew Hurt, which sees a brave Callow playing multiple characters in an attempt to provide a glimpse into the life of Jesus through the eyes of people who knew him. The play is bound to attract some controversy, but perhaps Callow will renew our sense of wonder as “the son of man”? The Man Jesus is a Darlington Civic highlight, on Thursday, October 2.

I suppose dancing with mice is about as far away from a show about the son of God as you’ll get. Angelina and her friends at the Camembert Academy will be pirouetting into Darlington, from tomorrow until Sunday, for the charming tale of Angelina Ballerina – The Mousical.

It’s the 1960’s again, The Beatles have arrived, twisting and shouting is full on for another jukebox musical, Dreamboats and Miniskirts, the sequel to Dreamboats and Petticoats. Will Bobby and Laura get one more chance at stardom? Of course they will, swing along and find out how from September 15 - 20).

Over the Rainbow - The Eva Cassidy Story stars Bad Girls and Emmerdale actress Nicole Faraday. A tribute musical and an uplifting story of a cancer victim, Eva Cassidy, who died tragically at the age of 33.

A true artist who wasn’t interested in fame and fortune, she just wanted to create beautiful music, which she most certainly did, achieving world recognition for her short music career, only after she died.

(October 3 - 4).

Shobna Gulati (Sunita Alahan in Coronation Street) and Joe McGann (Calendar Girls) will star in John Godber’s romantic adventure comedy, April in Paris from October 14 - 18. Olivier nominated for comedy of the year when it premiered Godber shows off his unique brand of observational comedy.

Horrible Histories boasts 3D Bogglevision effects on stage with Barmy Britain (Nov 5 - 9) as they present the horrible history of Britain with the nasty bits left in!

A new, all-star cast has been announced for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Nov 18 - 22). Danielle Hope winner of ITV’s Over the Rainbow competition, Lloyd Daniels X-Factor Finalist and Eastenders Matt Lapinskas will be making that Coat of Many Colours in this family-favourite musical.

If there was a list of ten theatre things to see before you die, The Ken Dodd Happiness Show would have to be one of them. He’s barking mad, tattifelarius, and full of Knotty Ashness with his frizzy hair, tickling stick and those trademark protruding teeth. Despite being 86 years old Doddy manages about 150 shows a year; each one different from the last. “It keeps me going,” he says, “It is what I live for. I live for showbusinesss,” he explains (October 9 - 10).

Last Night At The Proms return with a special show to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the First World War and the 75th anniversary of the Second World War.

The British Philharmonic Orchestra promises an evening of reflection, rousing tunes, flag waiting and huge dollops of patriotic Pomp and Circumstance. (July 28).

Billy Mitchell and Ray Laidlaw bring The Lindisfarne Story (Sept 6). Poirot also returns with Agatha Christie’s Black Coffee (Sept 22 - 27), An Audience with Tim Brooke-Tayor (October 3) and the folk world’s Yorkshire star, Kate Rusby (Oct 7) are just a few of the other highlights before we get to the eagerly anticipated Christmas pantomime.

The Chuckles of Oz with Phil Corbitt’s Cowardly Lion, Danny Potts as The Tin Man and Darlington favourite, Beth Stobbart, who appears as Glinda the Good Witch, alongside Adam Booth as The Scarecrow. No prizes for guessing who the lead stars are but I’m sure the yellow brick road will take us on a panto journey to somewhere full of magic, mystery and mayhem that we’ve never been to before!

  • Tickets for the Civic’s autumn season are on sale now. For more show listings and further details visit: darlingtoncivic.co.uk Box Office : 01325-486 555
  • Let’s Hang On plays the Civic tonight at 7.30pm. The award-winning production takes the audience on a musical journey through the prolific career of one of the most successful bands of all time – Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons.
      Discover how four New Jersey boys from the wrong side of the tracks invented their own sound wrote their own songs and became one of the biggest pop sensations of all time. The show presents hits such as Beggin’, Grease, Bye Bye Baby, Sherry, Take My Eyes Off You, December 1963 (Oh What a Night!), Working My Way Back To You, Walk Like A Man and Big Girls Don’t Cry, reaching the finale with, of course, Let’s Hang On!
  • Tickets: £18.50 and £20.50 (plus £1 per ticket restoration levy