THE new autumn season at the Georgian Theatre Royal in Richmond boasts an array of shows including festival performances, cutting-edge drama, top comedy acts, music and children’s entertainment.

The season starts with GeorgeFest19 – a town-wide celebration of Richmond’s rich Georgian past in August.

As the most complete Georgian playhouse remaining in Britain, the theatre forms the hub of the festival with daily guided costumed heritage tours and varied performances that offer intriguing insights into the daily lives of our Georgian ancestors.

These include a presentation by the popular History Wardrobe and a captivating one-man show by award-winning Royal Shakespeare Company actor Ian Hughes, charting the rise and fall of the great 19th-century actor Edmund Kean.

The theatre has an established reputation for stand-up comedy and the new season sees Ardal O’Hanlon lead the way on September 4. The star of Death in Paradise, Father Ted and My Hero, O'Hanlon offers comedy as the best emergency response mechanism there is to the state of our ever-bewildering world.

Also taking up the comedy mike is Andy Parsons, best-known for his appearances on Mock the Week, Live at the Apollo and QI; and Suzi Ruffell takes centre stage with her new show Dance Like Everyone’s Watching.

The theatre is proud to host the debut production of Fell-Foss Theatre, the enterprise of Mark Cronfield, a former North Country Theatre stalwart. His one-man show, Crusoe’s Island on September 19 and 20, tells the strange and surprising story of Yorkshire’s world-famous castaway and celebrates the 300th anniversary of Defoe’s classic novel.

The season also features some firm audience favourites, including Mikron Theatre Company and Theatrical Niche.

Music lovers are set for a varied programme of performances with everything from rock to classical guitar. B

Family entertainment is well catered for with Hey Diddle Diddle on October 6 for ages 3 and upwards.

Details of all shows and events are given in the newly published programme brochure available at the Box Office, via www.georgiantheatreroyal.co.uk or by calling the box office on 01748-825252.