DAME Judi Dench is returning to the Stratford stage for the first time in 24 years.

She will play Countess Rossillion in All Well That Ends Well at the Swan. The production, directed by Gregory Doran, will be the first time Dame Judi has been at Stratford since 1979.

She is regarded by many as the leading actress of her generation and in recent years has become known to cinemagoers as M in the Bond films, Queen Victoria in Mrs Brown and Queen Elizabeth in Shakespeare in Love.

She said: "The countess is one of the few Shakespearian women that I've never played and I'm thrilled to be working with Greg Doran and being part of a big company again."

The play will run from December 3, 2003, to February 7, 2004.

Doran will also direct the cast of Othello, headed by Sir Antony Sher as Iago. Sir Antony rose to international fame in the 80s with his ground-breaking performance as Richard III.

The production celebrates the play's 400th anniversary with South African Sello Maake ka Ncube playing Othello. He is the first black African actor to play the title role in a major production in this country. It runs from February 11 to April 3, 2004.

Laurence Boswell's own version of Beauty and the Beast will be this year's family show. Boswell was recently appointed an RSC associate director but his inspiration for this production came from his daughter.

Mr Boswell said: "I read five or six classic children's stories and asked her which she liked best. Beauty and the Beast was her unequivocal reply because, she said, it featured a girl in the leading role and wasn't about boys fighting!"

The production will run from December 1, 2003 to February 22, 2004, at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. For booking information for all productions call 0870 609 1110 or visit www.rsc.org.uk.