Jo Bayne looks ahead to what is on offer at theatres and finds some old favourites treading the boards.

Theatre Royal Bath

A feast of entertainment is lined up at Bath this autumn, beginning with Tom Conti, pictured below, in Tom Stoppard's The Real Thing (September 6 to 10).

Directed by Tim Pigott-Smith it deals with a playwright who has trouble discerning the genuine article whether in love, life or art.

This is followed by Ian Richardson and James Ellis in a psychological thriller, The Creeper by Pauline Macaulay (September 12 to 17). An opportunist answers an advertisement to become a residential companion to a wealthy eccentric. But there are skeletons in the closet and something nasty in the garden.

Richard E Grant, star of more than 60 films in the past 20 years, makes a welcome return to the stage in a revival of Simon Gray's Otherwise Engaged (September 21 to October 1). He plays a selfish publisher who keeps his distance from the messy distractions of his family and friends. But life finally catches up with him.

This year the Theatre Royal celebrates its bi-centenary and George Baker and Stephanie Cole (pictured opposite page), star in a gala production of Sheridan's The Rivals (October 4 to 15), appropriately set in Bath, to celebrate. The gala evening is Wednesday October 12, which includes a post performance champagne supper in Beaufort Square, the theatre's original entrance, hosted by Ned Sherrin.

This is followed by national treasure Maureen Lipman in Peter Quilter's Glorious (October 17 to 22), a new comedy based on the true story of eccentric American Florence Foster Jenkins, lady of no musical talent but who possessed total conviction in her own ability and staged concerts which sold out months in advance.

The Moscow City Ballet makes a welcome return with two perennially popular ballets, Cinderella by Prokofiev and Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker (October 25 to 29).

Box office: (01225) 448844

Website: www.theatreroyal.org.uk

Bristol Hippodrome

Ellen Kent & Opera International return to The Bristol Hippodrome from September 13 to 17 with two magnificent productions and as ever a few spectacular additions. Bizet's masterpiece Carmen, a vividly colourful and passionate production, includes special guest Todo the magnificent Andalucian stallion on stage, and Verdi's epic Nabucco includes the highly trained and thunderous Horsemen of the Apocalypse stunt riders.

Thoroughly Modern Millie (September 20 to October 1) stars Lesley Joseph (best known for TV's Birds of a Feather) as the eccentric Mrs Meers, proprietor of the Hotel Priscilla; Grace Kennedy (Carmen Jones, The Cotton Club) as the legendary diva Muzzy Van Hossmere; and reprising her critically acclaimed role in the original West End production, Donna Steele (Peggy Sue Got Married, The Full Monty) as the thoroughly modern Millie Dillmount. Thoroughly Modern Millie is a story of a young girl from Kansas, Millie Dillmount, who travels to New York in search of a new life for herself in the Roaring Twenties.

Among the one-nighters are the retro but evergreen Joe Brown and Marty Wilde in Concert with The Bruvvers and The Wildcats (October 2), the Glenn Miller Orchestra (October 9) and Roy Chubby Brown (October 10).

Rambert Dance Company bring their brilliant Triple Bill: Swamp, Dark Elegies and Constant Speed to the stage on October 8.

And there's the ever popular Grease (October 17 to 22).

Bristol Gang Show gives a rousing finish to the month from October 25 to 29.

Box office: 0870 607 7500

Website: www.getlive.co.uk

Wyvern Theatre, Swindon

Among its familiar fare of one-night concerts by comedians, singers and the occasional speaker, The Wyvern has introduced some classic drama. Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale (September 7 to 10) kicks off a programme billed as ALIVE: Drama for the 21st Century. The production by Ed Hall's Propeller company began life at The Watermill and for anyone tempted to think Shakespeare is boring or heavyweight, this production should make them think again.

More drama with KAOS Theatre's version of Daniel Defoe's Moll Flanders (October 3 to 4), a classic tale of adventure, scandal, saucery and debauchery, combined with KAOS's acclaimed brand of vibrant storytelling, music and song.

Before that there's classical music with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (September 29), whose programme includes Schubert, Bruch, and Beethoven.

Imagine the full cast of Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest, in voluminous costumes, being played by just two people. Impossible? Not so. Ridiculusmus does it brilliantly. The production on October 7, comes with education resources too.

October also brings the Don Lusher Big Band Tribute to Ted Heath (October 13), jazz star Clare Teal (October 14), opera with The Marriage of Figaro (October 15) by London Opera Players and Matt Monro Jnr (October 31) singing his father's songs.

Box office: (01793) 524481

Website: www.wyverntheatre.org.uk

The Watermill, Bagnor near Newbury

You have until September 10 to catch Jean Anouilh's colourful romp Thieves Carnival.

Then there's a new play written and directed by resident writer Ade Morris, The Garden of Llangoed (September 13 to 17) before it goes on tour.

It is a haunting Welsh romance set against the background of the Second World War and a Welsh manor house, and features childhood friends Kit and Jane as they try to resume a relationship following the outbreak of war and Kit's service in the RAF. He introduces his former RAF colleague William to Jane so that he can help her with her wilderness of a garden. The three soon discover new friendships and fears.

Still on the subject of war is Michael Frayne's Copenhagen (September 21 to October 22).

In 1941, Germany's leading physicist Werner Heisenberg makes a remarkable visit to his old professor, Neils Bohr and his wife in occupied Copenhagen.

The two old friends, now parted by war, closely collaborated on the research that led to the creation of the atomic bomb. We know that this historic meeting took place, what we don't know and what this fascinating play presupposes is the nature of their conversations. It examines the moral responsibility of scientists, and the link between a man in wartime and the country he unavoidably represents when in an alien land.

Box office: (01635) 725944

Website: www.watermill.org.uk

Arc Theatre, Trowbridge

Trowbridge players tackle Caught in the Net (September 21 to 24), the sequel to Ray Cooney's hilarious and frantic saga of bigamous taxi driver John Smith, who manages to keep two homes and two wives simultaneously.

The Watermill's new touring production The Garden Of Llangoed (see Watermill preview) is resident for one night on October 14.

Stephen Potter's 1980 BAFTA award winner Blue Remembered Hills (October 18) is set in 1943 in the West Country, with war in the air and the world of adults still a mystery.

It tells of a group of seven-year-old children living in the Forest of Dean. But the peacefulness and innocence of their world is lost during a single tragic event and nothing will ever be the same for them again.

Love In The Title (October 28) is set in County Limerick, Ireland, 1999. Three generations of women meet in a time shift.

Box office: (01225) 756376/766241

Website: www.arctheatre.org.uk