MALVERN Theatres has announced the big names behind its new season.

Theatre Royal Bath and Carl Rosa Opera are among the companies bring productions to Malvern and stars include Patrick Stewart, Sue Johnston, Twiggy, Elaine Page, Liza Goddard and Lesley Joseph.

Hugo Speer, who made his name as Guy in The Full Monty, comes to town in August in Noel Cowards' comedy Design for Living.

John Challis and Sue Holderness, better known as Boyce and Marlene in Only Fool's and Horses', will appear as Fiona and Frank in Alan Ayckbourn's suburban comedy, How the Other Half Lives, also in August.

The 60's most iconic model, Twiggy Lawson, stars in Mrs Warren's Profession in June, a comedy penned by Bernard Shaw in 1894, which was considered so scandalous that it was banned in the UK until 1925.

The play features a girl who discovers her comfortable upbringing has been financed by her mother's successful chain of whorehouses. The entire cast who first staged the play in America in 1905 was arrested.

Also in June, Britain's renowned musical actress Elaine Page stars in Georges Feydeau's comedy Where There's a Will. She joins David Warner under the direction of Peter Hall to illustrate the life of a woman who learns that no man can be trusted.

Malvern favourite Tony Britton returns for a comedic turn in July, in Aleksei Arbuzov's Old World with Angela Thorne.

Using her hilarious talents in Alan Bennett's double-bill Office Suite in August will be Birds of a Feather actress Lesley Joseph.

Farce, however, is the name of the game for Drop the Dead Donkey's Robert Duncan, who with Vicki Michelle from Allo! Allo!, plot marital treachery in Marc Comoletti's, Don't Dress for Dinner in July.

Putting their darker powers to good use for a tragedy, Star Trek's Patrick Stewart and The Royle Family's Sue Johnston, star together in Ibsen's The Master Builder in May.

They play a couple locked in a loveless, sterile and guilt-ridden marriage whose lives are reawakened with the arrival of a beautiful and mysterious woman.

Two thrillers also appear, with Liza Goddard in The Edge of Darkness in June and Nicholas Day in An Inspector Calls in May.

After recently standing down as the BBC's royal correspondent, Jennie Bond will visit Malvern in June to talk and answer questions about the inside knowledge she gained during her 14 years in the post.

The theatre's new spring to summer brochure will soon be available and for more information call the box office on 01684 892277 or visit www.malvern-theatres.co.uk.