OSCAR-nominated actor Ralph Fiennes will star in a new production of Henrik Ibsen's Brand which opens at Stratford's Swan Theatre in April.

Fiennes will play Brand, a fanatical priest who returns to his ancestral home, a small isolated village surrounded by dangerous mountains.

When he arrives the villagers are starving, but Brand shows them little sympathy, blaming them for putting the needs of the body above the needs of the spirit.

Throughout the play Brand struggles to reconcile his faith with the needs of those around him, including his wife and dying son.

When a gypsy girl tells him of a beautiful ice church in the mountains he is determined to lead the entire village up there.

Fiennes' last appearance with the RSC was in 1990 in King Lear, Love Labour's Lost and Troilus and Cressida.

Brand will open at the Swan before moving the Theatre Royal Haymarket in London.

It will also be the last play to be produced by the current RSC artistic director, Adrian Noble.

"I've wanted to do Brand with Ralph for ages, so I'm delighted that it's finally happening," said Mr Noble.

"Ibsen's great plays are always popular with audiences, but Brand is rarely performed and so will be a new experience for many people.

"It's also great to see commercial producers backing classical theatre in the West End.

"The Theatre Royal and Stanhope Productions are leading the way with their confidence to produce large scale classical theatre in the heart of London's theatreland."

Brand runs at The Swan, in Stratford, from Thursday, April 17 to Saturday, May 24 next year before moving to London. Tickets will go on sale to RSC members on Monday, January 6 and to the general public on Monday, January 27, from 0870 6091110.

The 2003 season at the RSC also includes The Taming of the Shrew paired with John Fletcher's rarely-performed sequel The Tamer Tamed, Measure for Measure, Richard III and Titus Andronicus.

Beyond Shakespeare the RSC will host productions varying from The Mikado to a stage adaptation of Bill Bryson's Notes from a Small Island.

The RSC will also hold a week with laughter featuring performances by Bill Bailey, Mark Thomas, Rhona Cameron, Josie Lawrence, Ed Byrne, Richard Herring and Ross Noble.