FOLLOWING last year's successful staging of beauty and the beast, this popular family show returns to Stratford for a strictly limited season this Christmas.

RSC associate director, Laurence Boswell's new version of this enchanting fable played to 90,000 people last year

The show will run in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre from November 13 until January 16 2005.

Full casting details to be announced in due course.

Celebrating its 24th anniversary, the RSC's mobile theatre tour returns this year with a Shakespeare double bill - Julius Ceasar and The Two Gentlemen of Verona. The productions will take to the road visiting leisure centres and schools around the UK with the company's specially created theatre auditorium.

As part of the tour, the RSC will return to Davidson College, North Carolina, USA - following a successful first visit in 2002 with The Merchant of Venice. It will also play in repertoire in the RSC's Swan.

theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon between November 18th and February 26th 2005.

Fiona Buffini makes her RSC debut to direct The Two Gentlemen of Verona. Her recent productions include the enormously acclaimed West End production of Dinner (National Theatre and Wyndhams) with Harriet Walter.

The tour is scheduled to run from September 13 until May next year, and will visit Northallerton (Julius Ceasar only), Telford (Two gentlemen only) Ellesmere Hill, Forres, Doncaster, Spalding, Ebbw Vale. Littleport, Dorchester, Ollerton, Burgess Hill, Forres, Portsmouth and Dawlish. Further towns and full booking details to be announced.