Emma Knights An Agatha Christie thriller, international circus-style spectacle, and an interactive tribute to Eurovision are just a few of the gems that will delight audiences in the Norwich Theatre Royal's new season.

Emma Knights

An Agatha Christie thriller, international circus-style spectacle, and an interactive tribute to Eurovision are just a few of the gems that will delight audiences in the Norwich Theatre Royal's new season.

Today the theatre raised the curtain on new shows to add to this year's exciting line-up that already includes Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats and a new musical, The Witches of Eastwick, starring Marti Pellow.

“It is a brilliant and very varied line-up with some really exciting productions and something for everyone,” said Theatre Royal press officer John Bultitude.

“In June we have our first-ever interactive musical Eurobeat which is basically a tribute to Eurovision. The audience will be allocated countries to support and will vote for their favourite song. It stars comedian Les Dennis and former Coronation Street star Sally Lindsay, and Terry Wogan will even make a cameo appearance on film.

“There's also Alan Ayckbourn's comedy Relatively Speaking in July with Peter Bowles and Angela Thorne from To

The Manor Born, and we are really excited about noted choreographer Matthew Bourne in September presenting his latest work, Dorian Gray, which was inspired by Oscar Wilde's gothic masterpiece about a young man who makes a pact with the devil.”

Other highlights Mr Bultitude picked out included Le Grand Cirque in October, an international circus spectacle full of white-knuckle stunts, the theatre's pantomime Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and the Agatha Christie murder mystery And Then There Were None which comes to the theatre in June and stars ex-Eastender Alex Ferns and former Coronation Street star Chloe Newsome.

“It will also be nice to see some of the stars of the future on stage in July with the Theatre Royal Youth Theatre Company's production of Peter Pan: The Search for the Lost Boys,” he added.

Also appearing at the theatre is Disney's Beauty and the Beast in October, glitzy musical The Rat Pack, Live from Las Vegas in July, Oscar Wilde's An Ideal Husband in September, and two Puccini operas, La Boheme and Tosca, in October.

One of the world's finest opera companies, Glyndebourne On Tour, will present The Magic Flute, Carmen, and Hansel und Gretel in November, and the Imperial Ice Stars will also perform Cinderella on Ice in November.

One of the country's finest orchestras, the Britten Sinfonia, is also launching a partnership with the theatre and will perform a series of four concerts.

Among the shows for children are Slava's Snowshow in November and CBeebies at the Theatre in August.

For comedy fans Ken Dodd brings his Happiness Show to the theatre in June while Steve Coogan, aka spoof Radio Norwich presenter Alan Partridge, presents his brand-new stage show in October.

The theatre will also host a number of events for the Norfolk and Norwich Festival 08.

For more information about the shows call the Theatre Royal box office on 01603 630000 or visit www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk