THE new season at the New Theatre, Cardiff, brings the Royal National Theatre to Wales twice and unveils star-studded drama featuring Neil Pearson, Penelope Keith, Anna Carteret and Una Stubbs plus the best in opera, musicals and panto!

New Theatre manager, Sue Lewis announced: "This is a season of great quality and great variety.

"Neil Pearson, Penelope Keith, Anna Carteret, Sam Kane and Linda Lusardi will all be coming to Cardiff in a packed line-up.

"People who seriously love drama can save money when booking to see three productions.

"And with three musicals including Andrew Lloyd Webber's Whistle Down The Wind and Penelope Keith in the Noel Coward world premiere Star Quality, there really is something for everyone."

In a powerful drama season, there are two visits from the Royal National Theatre with mind-blowing award-winner Copenhagen and Mother Claps Molly House - the new play from one of the leading British dramatists, Mark Ravenhill.

Culture vultures can see the RNT productions and Tom Stoppard's The Real Thing and save into the bargain with the season saver.

Neil Pearson (Between The Lines, Drop The Dead Donkey) stars in Stoppard's brilliant, witty comedy as a playwright who finds love harder to live with than write about.

The season starts in October with the world premiere production of Coward's Star Quality, an hilarious study of the fickle world of theatre and its creative personalities. For musical lovers there's something for all tastes, Lloyd-Webber's Whistle Down The Wind, Cardiff's Orbit Theatre with 42nd Street and finally 70s monster hit Oh! What A Night, daring you to don those flares!

Welsh National Opera gives a storming world class programme which includes The Barber of Seville and Beatrice and Benedict this season and Madam Butterfly, La Clemenza di Tito, Salome, Rigoletto, Cosi Fan Tutte and The Cunning Little Vixen in Spring and Summer next year.

For more information of dates and prices and to book call New Theatre Box Office on 029 2087 8889.