'THE CURIOUS INCIDENT,' BARNUM & More Set for Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury's 2015-16 Season

Highlights of the Canterbury venues' main auditorium programme include the National Theatre's The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time, Matthew Bourne's The Car Man, Barnum (starring Brian Conley), Dirty Dancing, Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap, Handbagged, Blood Brothers, Les Ballet Trocadero de Monte Carlo, and The Royal New Zealand Ballet.

Also on sale with the new season and coming to the theatre in February is The Bodyguard, the award-winning musical based on the film.

Jasper Carrot, Justin Hayward, the Morriston Orpheus Choir, Henning Wehn, and The Waterboys head the one-night shows.

The Marlowe Studio continues to welcome the best new writing, comedy and contemporary theatre: The Piano Man (inspired by the suited man washed up on a Kent beach in 2005), Every Brilliant Thing (from Paines Plough - a play about the lengths we go to for those we love), and Storm In A Teacup (a dark comedy inspired by Chekov's Three Sisters; this is The Marlowe's first British Sign Language-incorporated performance).

One-night performances include Paul Foot, Alex Horne, From The Jam and Tim Erikson (Americana).

Creative projects continue to thrive at The Marlowe: following the success of last year's community production, The Garden Of England, The Marlowe Theatre's creative participants will once again work with local people in The Rights Of Others. Exploring the treacherously long walk to freedom, this is a production of two halves: a promenade performance around the theatre, followed by the new play Desperate Measures in The Marlowe Studio.

Young people from across the region will perform a series of new plays as part of the National Theatre Connections Festival; while Canterbury Children's Festival sees performances, workshops and free events at The Marlowe and The Beaney.

Marlowe Director Mark Everett said there is more on offer at the theatre than ever before: "The country's biggest producers are lining up to bring their shows to the main house, while the reputation of The Marlowe Studio as the place to see innovative, challenging and entertaining productions continues to grow."

Tickets for the new season go on sale on Tuesday 7 April and are available from the Box Office on 01227 787787 or marlowetheatre.com.