MODERN comedy and classic drama are among the highlights of the new autumn season at one of the region’s leading theatre venues.

Highlights of a packed schedule at the Gala Theatre in Durham include acclaimed one-man show Wisdom of a Fool, a play celebrating the life of performer Norman Wisdom on September 6.

Football fans will be entertained with a double bill of stories about Sunderland AFC on Saturday, September 9, starting with Cornered – a poignant play written by Look North’s Jeff Brown which looks at what happened to 18-year-old Dave Corner after his ‘nightmare’ in the 1985 cup final at Wembley. The show will be followed by Wise Men Say, a bittersweet comedy marking one fan’s journey from his beloved Roker Park to the Stadium of Light.

September also sees London Classic Theatre Company bring its version of Noël Coward’s popular comedy Private Lives to the Gala and an evening with four-time Brit Classical Award winning tenor Russell Watson on Thursday, September 14.

Songs from 1960s band The Small Faces will feature in All or Nothing: The Mod Musical, for a two-night run starting on September 26, while October will see a return of English Touring Opera with Handel’s Giulio Cesare Parts I and II in a double bill.

The line-up also includes comedian Jason Byrne, author Kathy Lette and 80s soap star Jason Donovan.

Cricket fans won’t want to miss a special talk from unique commentator Henry Blofeld, who recently announced his retirement from Test Match Special after 45 years, joined by England spin bowler Graeme Swann to share their favourite cricketing stories on Monday, October 2.

To view the full autumn programme and book tickets, visit Gala’s box office, call 03000-266-600 or go online at www.galadurham.co.uk.