The Octagon Theatre in Bolton has announced its programme for 2015-16, the first season after Elizabeth Newman takes over as artistic director.
Newman opens the season in September with her production of Bolton playwright Bill Naughton's 1963 comedy All In Good Time, produced under the 1966 film's title of The Family Way.
Outgoing artistic director David Thacker returns in October to direct in his specialist area, the plays of Arthur Miller, but this time with Miller's adaptation of An Enemy of the People by one of Miller's biggest influences, Henrik Ibsen.
Newman is stepping aside from this year's Christmas production for Sarah Esdaile, who will direct David Wood's adaptation of The BFG by Roald Dahl. Esdaile directed Wood's adaptation of Dahl's James and the Giant Peach at the Octagon in 2006.
Jim Cartwright's Two, which has been produced by most theatres in the north west over the last few years, will be revived at the theatre where it premièred in 1989. It was last at the Octagon in 2005.
However this time it will be followed by a brand new sequel set in the same pub some time later, titled Two 2. Punters are now few and far between, and the struggling landlord and lady worry that it might soon be last orders for them, until a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity presents itself in the form of a one-way ticket out of there.
This short season ends in March and April with the return of another former Octagon artistic director, Mark Babych, to direct Charlotte Jones's Martha, Josie and the Chinese Elvis in a co-production with Hull Truck, of which Babych is now artistic director.
Newman will announce her first line-up of productions from April 2016 in the autumn. She said, "I have received such wonderful support and good wishes about my appointment from our Bolton communities and region. The commitment and energy offered by the people of our town has meant so much to me. I am wholeheartedly looking forward to starting in post on 6 July.
"It will be an honour to work on one of Bolton’s favourite classics from local playwright Bill Naughton from August, and it feels like a great way to kick off my artistic directorship.
"This transitional season of productions truly reflects some of the cracking work that’s been produced at the Octagon; we are celebrating the great writing created in Bolton, whilst celebrating the long history that both the theatre and David have enjoyed."