LADY Bracknell's famous words "Ahhh haaanndbag?" will be heard again at the Malvern Theatres, when The Importance of Being Earnest opens 2001 at the Festival Theatre.

Award-winning actress Patricia Routledge reprises the role she brought to Malvern in July, ahead of the production's second West End run.

Since it was last at Malvern, the production has gone half way round the World with a sell-out tour of Australia and New Zealand.

Patricia, as Lady Bracknell, is the only remaining member of the original cast, which now takes on an Anglo-Australian feel.

English actors Alistair Petrie and Theo Fraser Steele are joined by Jonathan Elsom, who holds dual nationality, as the Reverend Canon Chasuble. Miss Prism, Gwendolen and Cecily are played by a trio of Australian actresses Beverley Dunn, Essie Davis and Sarah Kants.

The set has also been redesigned and the costumes changed for the new run.

Patricia is best known as Hyacinth Bucket in the BBC series Keeping Up Appearances, for which she was named Top Television Comedy Actress in 1991, but also has the lead in Hetty Wainthropp Investigates and she has brought several of Alan Bennett's character monologues to the screen.

On stage she has appeared in the West End and Broadway and performed with both the Royal National Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Company.

The comedy, which first premiered in London in 1895, is one of Oscar Wilde's best known.

It opens on January 8 and runs till January 13 with performances at 8pm. Tickets range from £20 to £9 from the box office on 01684 892277.