THE curtains will soon be opening for another great season of entertainment at the Everyman Theatre.

It all begins on Monday, September 9, when Fame - The Musical returns to the Cheltenham venue from a record-breaking West End season, which has seen the show greeted by standing ovations everywhere, amazed at the 35-strong cast, representing the finest in Britain's young dancing talent.

The following week comedy thriller Corpse! arrives in town. Gerald Moon's "dead funny" play about sibling rivalry features a star-studded cast with Doctor Who actor Colin Baker, Louise Jameson (known to many people as EastEnders' Rosa Di Marco) and Mark McGann, who appeared in The Grand, Shackleton and The Hanging Gale.

Shakespeare's Twelfth Night enters stage left from Tuesday, September 24, while Simon Williams' adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Hound of the Baskervilles, celebrates the 100th anniversary of the literary classic.

Arguably the most popular ballet of all time, Swan Lake, will be performed by The Moscow Ballet of Classical Choreography for three nights from Monday, October 7, with an adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma set to run two weeks later.

Stand up comic and now TV personality Al Murray - The Pub Landlord brings his view-from-the-bar humour to Cheltenham for one night only on October 27, while fun for all the family is assured with the musical Annie from Tuesday, October 29.

Didn't get tickets for the Proms? Well, don't worry, because music from The Glevum Symphony Orchestra will provide as much patriotism and flag-waving as you can shake a stick at with a programme of all the Proms favourites on Sunday, November 3.

The 16-piece Crescendo Big Band and teddy boy Fred the Ted form part of a night of professional entertainment for charity on Sunday, November 17. The Gala Charity Variety Show is in aid of the Gloucestershire Prostate Cancer (Brachytherapy Unit) Trust, and promises a programme of entertainment for all the family, featuring comedy acts and musical talent.

There's bound to be fireworks when She Stoops to Conquer and A Laughing Matter are performed by Out of Joint and the Royal National Theatre from Tuesday, November 5. The boys from Blue Watch turn up the heat in Naked Flame 2, an adults only comedy, tickets for which are said to be selling like "hot cakes".

More blue humour follows in John Godber's Men of the World, a comedy which tells the story of a party of pensioners who take a coach trip around Europe, and then it's Christmas pantomime time with Dick Whittington, which runs from Friday, November 29, to Saturday, January 11.

Taking us into the New Year are Charles Collingwood and Judy Bennett, also known as Brian and Shula from Radio 4's The Archers. The real-life husband and wife team will be the raconteurs for a warm and entertaining evening of reminiscences from their life together on stage, behind the microphone, and at home, on Saturday, January 18. Slightly more energetic is Rockin' On Heaven's Door, an evening full of fifties hits, celebrating the music of Elvis, Roy Orbison, Eddie Cochran and Buddy Holly.

Comic Dave Gorman brings his Reasons to be Cheerful show for one night only on Sunday, January 26, while The Russian Ice Stars round off the season's entertainment, with performances of The Nutcracker and Sensational Ice from Tuesday, February 4.

For more information on any of the above shows, contact the Box Office on 01242 572573.