THE Royal Shakespeare Company is launching its new artistic model this spring with three projects in London and Stratford demonstrating the company's new approach to its artistic programming.

Rather than one company of actors performing a pre-determined number of plays in Stratford, the RSC's spring/summer offering will instead comprise three ensemble companies performing in both London and Stratford.

This includes the company's return to the Roundhouse in north London after 33 years to perform a repertoire of Shakespeare plays in promenade.

The first company will perform at the Roundhouse, the second will perform Antony and Cleopatra and Much Ado About Nothing at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and the third company will perform five Elizabethan and Jacobean plays at the Swan Theatre.

Stuart Wilson and Sinead Cusack lead the cast in Antony and Cleopatra, while Harriet Walter and Nicholas Le Provost appear as Beatrice and Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing. The plays are directed by Michael Attenborough and Gregory Doran respectively.

A 28-strong cast of actors make up the third company, which will be performing five rarely performed plays by Shakespeare's contemporaries at the Swan.

The plays include Shakespeare's Edward III, Eastward Ho! by Ben Jonson among others, The Roman Actor by Philip Massinger, The Island Princess by John Fletcher and The Malcontent by John Webster and John Marston.

RSC artistic director Adrian Noble said: "These projects herald a new way of working for the RSC, but they also celebrate the very best of the past.

"All three projects explore the idea of an ensemble theatre company - something that's always been important at the RSC."

Previews of Antony and Cleopatra begin on April 11 and Much Ado About Nothing on May 1. The previews of the first play at the Swan - Edward III - begin on April 17.

Two other productions - A Midsummer's Night Dream at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and The Prince of Homburg at the Swan, are previewing from February 1 and January 24 respectively. The Dream runs until March 23 and The Prince of Homburg until February 16.