THEATRE fans are being promised a real blast as The Royal Shakespeare Company starts its autumn visitor's season.

Top national and international companies will be performing at Stratford-upon-Avon's Royal Shakespeare Theatre, The Other Place and The Swan until the beginning of December.

During October audiences are invited to indulge in some space travel as The Swan is transformed into a futuristic spaceship for the Stratford-upon-Avon Operatic Society presents Return to the Forbidden Planet.

The futuristic musical, loosely based on Shakespeare's The Tempest complete with roller skating Ariel and giant monster, will be shown tonight and tomorrow.

Karaoke

Sing-a-Long Productions will be visiting the town for the first time tomorrow with it's award winning karaoke event, Sing a Long a Sound of Music. With obligatory fancy dress competition and subtitles, audiences are promised a night to remember.

This is followed by an innovative version of The Merchant of Venice which will be performed at The Other Place between Thursday, October 25 and Saturday, October 27, after its world premiere in Rotterdam.

One of the most successful musicals of all time, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, will be shown at The Royal Shakespeare between Monday, October 29 and Saturday, November 3.

The dazzling biblical story of Joseph as told by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber stars New Zealand soap star from Shortland Street, Glen Drake, and include favourites such as Any Dream will Do and One More Angel.

For those who missed the Compass Theatre Company's production of Death of Salesman when it came to Worcester, the heartbreaking Arthur Miller play will be shown at the Swan Theatre between the dates of Tuesday, October 30 and Thursday, November 1.

For more information on the shows a programme for next month's shows, contact the Royal Shakespeare box office on 01789 403403.