There’s Shakespeare - the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Edwardian Love’s Labours Lost, Norwich Theatre Royal March 14-18, Edinburgh Festival Theatre March 28-April 1. Or the Sherman’s Romeo and Juliet Swansea Grand March 7-11, Bangor Theatr Gwynedd March 28-April 1, Mold Theatr Clwyd April 4-8. And Webster’s The Duchess of Malfi Brighton Theatre Royal March 28-April 1, Guildford Yvonne Arnaud April 3-8, Richmond Theatre April 10-15, Bath Theatre Royal April 17-22.

English Touring Theatre offers French and English comedies. Moli re’s The School for Wives is translated by Kenneth McLeish Crewe Lyceum February 8-11, Worthing Connaught February 14-18, Coventry Warwick Arts Centre February 21-25, Oxford Playhouse February 28-March 4, Eastbourne Devonshire Park March 7-11, Poole Towngate March 13-18, Winchester Theatre Royal March 28-April 1. The Importance of Being Earnest Crewe Lyceum March 15-18, Winchester Theatre Royal March 20-25, Buxton Opera House March 28-April 1, Dartford Orchard April 4-8, Wythenshawe Forum April 11-15, Bracknell Wilde April 18-22, Barnstaple Queen’s April 25-29, Worthing Connaught May 9-13, Coventry Warwick Arts Centre May 16-20, Oxford Playhouse May 23-27, Glasgow Theatre Royal May 30-June 3, Huddersfield Lawrence Batley June 6-10.

Oxford Stage Company turns to Italy and traditional improvised Commedia Dell’ Arte, Love Is A Drug, devised by director Antonio Fava and writer Renata Allen Bury St Edmunds Theatre Royal February 20-25, Warwick Arts Centre February 27-March 4, Winchester Theatre Royal March 6-11, Oxford Playhouse March 13-18, Liverpool Everyman April 10-15, Watford Palace May 15-20.

Cambridge Theatre Company opens a new play, Philip Osment’s What I Did in the Holidays Oxford Playhouse March 21-25, Blackpool Grand March 27-29, Poole Towngate April 3-8. That’s followed by Dawn Keeler’s version of Edith Wharton’s The House of Mirth Winchester Theatre Royal April 24-29, Coventry Warwick Arts Centre May 1-6, Cheltenham Everyman May 8-13, Darlington Civic May 22-27, Poole Towngate May 29-June 3, Oxford Playhouse June 5-10, Canterbury Marlowe June 12-17, Buxton Opera House June 19-24, Worthing Connaught June 26-July 1.

Classics - plays and novels - include Wuthering Heights Croydon Ashcroft February 14-18, Wolverhampton Grand February 27-March 4, Lincoln Theatre Royal March 6-11, Redhill Harlequin March 13-18, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Tyne Theatre March 20-25, Reading Hexagon March 27-April 1, Hanley Theatre Royal April 24-29, Poole Towngate May 1-6. Helen Edmundson’s acclaimed adaptation for Shared Experience of The Mill on the Floss goes to Stratford-Upon-Avon Swan February 6-11, Richmond Theatre February 13-18, Chichester Festival Theatre February 21-25.

Youth theatre director Donalh MacNeil has adapted The Return of the Native for Bath Theatre Royal Chipping Norton Theatre February 10, Cirencester Brewery Arts February 17, Torquay South Devon College Studio One February 22, Shaftsbury Arts Centre February 25, Ferndown Centre March 1, Bristol QEH March 7, Weston-Super-Mare Playhouse March 9-11. Coleford College March 17, Taunton Brewhouse March 22-24, Shepton Mallet Amulet March 25, Bath Ustinov Studio March 27-30, Sherborne Arts Centre March 31, Devizes Wharf April 1.

Sean O’Casey‘s The Plough and the Stars visits Bath Theatre Royal February 6-11, Edinburgh King’s February 13-18, Aberdeen His Majesty’s February 20-25, Malvern Festival February 27-March 4, Nottingham Theatre Royal March 6-11, Cardiff New March 14-18, Darlington Civic March 28-April 1, Glasgow Theatre Royal April 4-8, Plymouth Theatre Royal April 1-15, Birmingham Alexandra April 18-22, Richmond Theatre April 24-29.

Somerset Maugham’s comedy of wifely superiority The Constant Wife is at Belfast Grand Opera House February 6-11, Chichester Festival February 14-18, Darlington Civic February 20-25, Stevenage Gordon Craig February 27-March 4, Crawley Hawth March 6-11, Aberdeen His Majesty’s March 13-18.

Allegations against teachers surface in Lilian Hellman’s The Children’s Hour toured by the Royal National Theatre to Cardiff New February 28-March 4, Edinburgh King’s March 14-18. Sheffield Lyceum March 21-25.

A good selection of the past 30 years is on the road. Frank Marcus’ The Killing of Sister George goes to Guildford Yvonne Arnaud February 27-March 11, Richmond Theatre March 13-18, Bath Theatre Royal March 20-25, Sheffield Lyceum March 27-April 1, Norwich Theatre Royal April 3-8, Canterbury Marlowe April 10-15, Brighton Theatre Royal April 17-22.

Joe Orton’s What the Butler Saw is scheduled by the National to visit Bath Theatre Royal April 25-29, Blackpool Grand May 2-6, Norwich Theatre Royal May 9-13, Nottingham Theatre Royal May 16-20.

A different style of farce is Michael Frayn’s front-and-backstage Noises Off, which Mobil Touring Theatre presents at Norwich Theatre Royal February 7-11, Bath Theatre Royal February 13-18, Birmingham Alexandra February 20-25, Sheffield Lyceum February 27-March 4, Blackpool Grand March 6-11, York Grand Opera House March 13-18, Hull New March 20-25, High Wycombe Swan March 27-April 1, Guildford Yvonne Arnaud April 10-15, Richmond Theatre April 18-22, Nottingham Theatre Royal April 24-29, Brighton Theatre Royal May 1-6, Darlington Civic May 8-13, Aberdeen His Majesty’s May 15-20, Belfast Grand Opera House May 22-27, Dartford Orchard May 30-June 3.

Winsome Pinnock’s Leave Taking is a Royal National Theatre Mobile production at Newbury Corn Exchange February 7-8, Cardiff Sherman February 9-11, Cranbrook Queen’s Hall February 13-14, Brighton Gardner Arts February 16-17, Coleraine Riverside February 28-March 2, Enniskillen Ardhowen March 3-4, Harlow Playhouse March 6-8, Burton Upon Trent Brewhouse 10-11, Huddersfield Lawrence Batley March 13-15, Hexham Queen’s Hall March 16-18, Hereford Theatre and Arts Centre March 20-21, Ormskirk Rose March 23-25.

The usual hefty doses of John Godber bring Hull Truck in teechers to Darlington Civic February 6-11, York Theatre Royal February 13-18, Halifax Victoria February 20-25, Winchester Theatre Royal February 27-March 4.

Then there’s Passion Killers Blackpool Grand February 6-11, Oxford Playhouse February 13-18, Woking New Victoria February 20-25, Southend-on-Sea Palace February 27-March 4, Dartford Orchard March 6-11, Chelmsford Civic March 13-18, Billingham Forum March 20-25, Harlow Playhouse March 27-April 1, Leeds West Yorkshire Playhouse April 3-8, Buxton Opera House April 17-22, Bury St Edmunds Theatre Royal May 1-6, Coventry Warwick Arts Centre May 8-13, Chesterfield Pomegranate May 15-20, Winchester Theatre Royal May 22-27, Southsea King’s May 29-June 3, Reading Hexagon June 7-10, Swansea Grand June 12-17, Watford Palace June 19-24, Wakefield Theatre Royal June 26-29, Ludlow Festival June 30-July 1, Oldham Coliseum July 3-8, Grimsby Auditorium July 10-13, Swindon Wyvern July 24-29, Ashton-Under-Lyne Tameside Hippodrome July 31-August 5, Edinburgh Assembly Rooms August 11-September 2.

Plus On The Piste at Inverness Eden Court February 7-11, Stratford-Upon-Avon Royal Shakespeare Theatre February 13-18, Sheffield Lyceum February 20-25, Nottingham Theatre Royal February 27-March 4, Woking New Victoria March 6-11, Croydon Ashcroft March 13-18, Northampton Derngate March 27-April 1, Wolverhampton Grand April 3-8, Windsor Theatre Royal April 10-29.

Talking humour is what Terry Johnson’s Dead Funny does eloquently at Windsor Theatre Royal February 7-11, Sheffield Lyceum February 13-18, Nottingham Theatre Royal February 20-25, Bath Theatre Royal February 27-March 4, Oxford Playhouse March 6-11, Malvern Festival Theatre March 13-18, Darlington Civic March 20-25, Richmond Theatre March 27-April 1, Crewe Lyceum April 3-8.

Theatre de Complicite’s excellent The Three Lives of Lucie Cabrol, from John Berger’s story, is at Liverpool Everyman February 28-March 4, Leicester Haymarket March 7-11, Blackpool Grand March 23-25, Bury St. Edmunds Theatre Royal March 28-April 1, Newcastle Playhouse April 5-8, Poole Towngate May 25-27; and from Paul Theroux’s novel the David Glass Ensemble in The Mosquito Coast Oxford Playhouse February 7-11, Bracknell Wilde February 17-18, Berwick Upon Tweed Maltings February 23-25, Middlesborough Little February 27-28, Wakefield Theatre Royal March 2-4, Birmingham MAC March 9-11, Worthing Connaught March 21-25.

Musicals include The Wizard of Oz Woking New Victoria February 7-11, Crawley Hawth February 14-18, Norwich Theatre Royal February 20-25, Darlington Civic February 28-March 4, Bath Theatre Royal March 6-11, Edinburgh Festival Theatre March 14-18, Basingstoke Anvil March 21-25, York Grand Opera House March 28-April 1, Manchester Palace April 11-15, Cardiff New April 18-22. And a musical Peter Pan Southend Cliffs Pavilion February 7-11, Bristol Hippodrome February 14-18, Reading Hexagon February 21-25, Canterbury Marlowe February 28-March 4, Cardiff New March 6-11, Leeds Grand March 14-18, Manchester Palace March 21-25, Aberdeen His Majesty’s April 4-8, Belfast Grand Opera House April 11-15, Woking New Victoria April 18-22, Oxford Apollo April 25-29.

RockalongaShakespeare (The Tempest), sci-fi and B-movies in Return to the Forbidden Planet Stratford-Upon-Avon Royal Shakespeare Theatre February 20-25, Hull New February 27-March 4, Sheffield Lyceum March 6-18, Oxford Apollo March 20-25, Wolverhampton Grand March 27-April 1, Manchester Palace April 3-8, Cardiff New April 10-15, Bristol Hippodrome April 24-29, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Theatre Royal May 1-6, Belfast Grand Opera House May 8-13, Edinburgh Playhouse May 15-20, Aberdeen His Majesty’s May 22-27, Blackpool Grand May 29-June 3, Nottingham Theatre Royal June 5-10, Croydon Fairfield June 12-17, Cambridge Corn Exchange June 19-24, Leicester De Montfort Hall June 26-July 1, Reading Hexagon July 3-8.

Me and My Girl plays Southampton Mayflower April 3-22, Wolverhampton Grand April 24-May 13, Hull New May 15-June 3, Dartford Orchard June 5-24, Woking New Victoria June 26-July, Plymouth Theatre Royal July 17-29. Aberconwy North Wales Theatre August 14-September 2, Bristol Hippodrome September 4-16, Canterbury Marlowe September 18-30.

Two for young people are Roald Dahl’s George’s Marvellous Medicine, which Birmingham Stage Company tour to Crewe Lyceum February 15-18, Brighton Gardner Arts February 21-25, Eastbourne Devonshire Park February 28-March 4, Preston Charter March 7-11, Whitley Bay Playhouse March 14-18, Bradford St George’s Hall March 20-24, Aberdeen His Majesty’s March 28-April 1, Winchester Theatre Royal April 4-8, Poole Towngate April 11-15, Barnstaple Queen’s April 18-23; and Unicorn Arts Theatre in Bodytalk, Andy Rashleigh’s junior school piece about the body and its organs, Wythenshawe Forum March 14-18, Canterbury Gulbenkian March 21-24, Middlesbrough Little March 28-31, Aberdare Coliseum May 23-26, Oldham Coliseum June 13-17.

Compass Theatre (0114 275 5328) tour widely with A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Buchner’s Woyzeck, in repertory at Glasgow Tron February 7-18, Blackpool Grand February 27-March 4, Bury St. Edmunds Theatre Royal March 6-11, Worthing Connaught March 14-18, Stirling MacRobert March 20-25, Buxton Opera House May 16-20, Plymouth Drum May 30-June 3, Taunton Brewhouse June 6-10, Sheffield Crucible Studio June 12-17.

ATC (0171 735 8311) join with The Hairy Marys to mount Shakespeare’s Venus and Adonis February 14-April 11.

Goldoni from the Gate (0171 229 5387) again, this time The Lovers, South, Midlands and North-west February 13-April 1.

Hull Truck’s (01482 224800) small-scale Godber is September in the Rain, ranging widely until June 3.

Michael Wynne’s The Knocky tours the East of England March 7-25. Workshops available; call Elyse Dodgson (0171 404 6964).

Visual pieces include Black Mime Theatre’s (0171 928 1311) look at masculinity in the raw Forgotten Heroes, touring until April. And Talking Pictures (0270 501905) with Secrets of the City until May 28.

Among specific regions, there is Eastern Angles (01475 218202) with a revival of Ivan Gutting’s The Reaper’s Year March 8-May 27.

Newcastle-Upon-Tyne’s Live Theatre (0191 261694) have Sarah Daniels’ Blow Your House Down from Pat Barker’s book February 21-March 4; 14-25, and touring.

NTC (01665 602586) take Michael Wilcox’s Time Window around Northumbria, Scotland, Yorkshire, Midlands and Suffolk March 9-April 22.

In Scotland itself Communicado (0131 228 5465) tour director Gerry Mulgrew’s version of traditional Tell Tales for Small People April 21 until an appearance at Edinburgh Children’s Festival May 22-28.

And 7:84 Scotland looks at the new Europe and Fascism’s legacy in a version of Peter Sichrovsky’s works Born Guilty, touring from Glasgow Citizens’ April 27-May 13 to Edinburgh Traverse June 14-18.

Details correct at time of publication. Tour dates can be added or changed. Check with theatres before booking.