The UK premiere of a new show by international theatre artist and film-maker Robert Lepage is being staged in the North-East, next week.

Northern Stage will present the solo performance, the far side of the moon, from Thursday to Saturday, at Newcastle Playhouse.

Lepage's piece investigates what he describes as "the ultimate dream of our time" - the voyage to the moon. The premiere coincides with the 40th anniversary of Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin's first journey into space.

Newcastle's Tyneside Cinema is presenting a season of Lepage films, including the UK premiere of his latest, Possible Worlds, next Saturday.

Both the stage production and film season in Newcastle are sponsored by Procter and Gamble.