THREE home-grown productions headline the Playhouse’s 2015 spring and summer season, which promises a packed programme of drama, comedy, music and politics.

The first original production is 84 Charing Cross Road (February 5 to 28), starring Olivier Award winner Janie Dee, pictured below, and Clive Francis.

The play premiered at the Playhouse in 1981 and centres on the 20-year friendship struck up when an American woman starts writing to a London bookseller.

“What’s really interesting is how much has changed in the world in the 34 years since it was produced,” said artistic director Gareth Machin.

“People just don’t write letters anymore and it’s a world that’s very recently been lost.”

Gareth described the play, which explores the contrast between the austerity of post-war Britain and the relative affluence of America, as “beautiful, warm and witty”.

Next on the bill is the darkly comical Posh (March 12 to April 4), based on Oxford’s elite Bullingdon Club and recently adapted for film as Riot Club.

Gareth said the play was “a really interesting meditation on the relationship between power and privilege”.

“It’s very funny, very dark and very provoking,” he said.

This season’s third big production is the musical Little Shop of Horrors (April 23 to May 1) featuring the predatory plant Audrey II as he bursts out of his pot and into Mushnik’s Flower Shop.

This feel-good show is not your garden-variety musical but is full of boy meets girl, plant eats world entertainment.

“It’s very high-brow and intellectual,” joked Gareth.

“The score ranges from fantastic musical-theatre pieces to rock ‘n roll, doo-wop and Motown.”

Stage 65 youngsters will be getting in on the action as usual with performances in the cathedral in June to mark the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta.

Other plays will include comedy capers from PG Wodehouse’s Jeeves and Wooster from May 19 to May 23.

The season starts with an adaptation of Jerome K Jerome’s classic tale of boating misadventure Three Men in a Boat (January 27 to 31) which arrives on the back of two sell-out tours.

Other visiting productions in the Main House include Arthur Miller’s post-war drama All My Sons, Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory’s beautiful production of Romeo and Juliet and George Bernard Shaw’s Mrs Warren’s Profession.

A busy programme of innovative new plays, comedy, re-imaginings of classic tales, gripping drama and family shows will be presented in the Salberg this season.

And the popular celebration of theatre in the region Theatre Fest West returns from March 30 to April 11.

Gareth said: “The Playhouse is one of the few remaining producing theatres outside London.

“It’s a fantastic resource for the people of Salisbury to see high-quality theatre made in the city, for the people of the city, at |an affordable price and in comfo-rtable seats with great car parking.”

Tickets go on general sale from tomorrow at salisburyplayhouse.com or on 01722 320 333.