Extra Attractions at the Theatre Royal

Bath Theatre’s Royal’s production of The Rivals by Sheridan swiashes in for the week of 27 September to 2 October. The cast includes Penelope Keith as the verbally confused Mrs Malaprop, Peter Bowles as the irascible Sir Anthony and Gerard Murphy as the touchy Irishman Sir Lucius. Murphy has been a Norwich audience favourite since his appearances in Bennett’s The History Boys .

There’s a new touring production of Spamalot doing its rounds. If the Monty Python take on King Arthur, the Knights of the Round Table and Camelot in general is just what you need to brighten up a dull evening, then book your tickets for the week 4 to 9 October. Hayley Tamaddon is the Lady of the Lake; Todd Carty is also in the cast.

Fancy neither of these shows? What about Hairspray, the hit musical set in the Sixties when beehives were bouffant. It’s on between 1 and 12 February next year and the cast includes Michael Starke, well-known for his television performances and Mickey Dolenz, a former Monkee who is a writer and director of musicals as well as having been a member of one of the first boy bands.