COMEDY, epic drama, world premieres, pantomime, musical comedy, theatre for young people and visits by theatre companies from across the south west all feature in Salisbury Playhouse’s autumn season announced on Friday by the theatre’s artistic director, Gareth Machin.

Opening the season on September 6 is Richard Harris’ comedy, Stepping Out, a play about an unlikely troupe of amateur tap dancers preparing for their end of term charity show.

“This is one of the great plays of the 1980s,” says Machin. “You really care about the people in the story.

There are lots of laughs as well as vulnerabilities in this group of people. It is a lovely story, big, bright and light for September.”

Stepping Out is directed by Adam Penford, associate director on the National Theatre’s smash hit comedy play, One Man, Two Guvnors, currently a bit hit on Broadway.

In complete contrast is the producing theatre’s commissioning of the adaptation of William Golding’s novel The Spire for stage.

“It is one of the big Salisbury stories to tell,” says Machin. “The spire has defined the city in so many people’s imaginations. The book is a brilliant human drama, an epic political saga full of life. One of the things I am excited about is how we explore this epic story on stage.”

The adaptation is by Roger Spottiswoode, who for some time has been trying to make a film of the book, which tells the story of Dean Jocelin and his vision of building a 400ft spire on Salisbury Cathedral. Nobel prize-winning novelist Golding lived in Salisbury and taught at Bishop Wordsworth’s Grammar School where he found much inspiration for both The Spire and Lord of the Flies; the latter is being performed by Stage ’65 youth theatre.

Machin will be directing the production in November.

In October the theatre welcomes the Newbury Watermill Theatre’s production of the musical comedy Radio Times starring West End stars Gary Wilmot and Sara Crowe.

“This will feature a big case of actor/musicians,” says Gareth. “It tells the stories of the men and women who kept the airwaves alive in the Blitz and includes the music of Noel Gay (Me and My Girl). It is a very British musical.”

Another world premiere takes place in the Salberg Studio with a co-production of Olivier award winning playwright Simon Stephens’ new play, London, opening in October before a full UK tour. London is a new work of two monologues, Sea Wall and T5.

The city is the backdrop for the stories of families and the choices they make for the precious things they love.

Sleeping Beauty is this year’s pantomime and for the first time the Playhouse is introducing a new festive show aimed at children between two and five in the theatre’s rehearsal room.

Frozen Forest will be specially created for first time theatregoers.

Tickets for all these productions and others announced on Friday are available from the box office from Monday either in person or by calling 01722 320333.

n SEATING in the Salberg Studio will be numbered from September and theatregoers can say goodbye to queuing to choose a seat. The theatre is introducing reserved seating for all productions in the Salberg Studio.