The Comedy of Errors (Royal Shakespeare CompanyNatwest Tour) Jersey Fort Regent Leisure Centre October 1-4, Rochester Strood Sports Centre November 5-9, Kendal Leisure Centre November 12-16, Belfast Festival at Queen’s November 19-23, Spennymoor Leisure Centre November 26-30, Stirling University Sports Centre December 3-7, Ilfracombe College December 10-14, Braintree Leisure Centre December 17-21, Rawmarsh Comprehensive School January 7-11, Newport Centre January 14- 18, Hexham Wentworth Leisure Centre January 21-25, Grimsby Auditorium January 28-February 1, Cirencester Cotswold Leisure Centre February 4-8, Warrington Great Sankey Leisure Centre February 11-15, Liskeard Lux Park Leisure Centre February 17-22.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Royal Shakespeare Company) Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Theatre Royal November 12-16, Cardiff New November 19-23, Edinburgh Festival November 26-3O, Bath Theatre Royal December 3-7, Plymouth Theatre Royal December 10-14.

Romeo and Juliet (Northern Broadsides) Halifax Viaduct October 4-12, Liverpool Everyman October 14-23, Thoresby Park Indoor Riding Stables October 24-25, Bury St Edmunds Theatre Royal October 29-November 2, Barrow-in-Furness Forum 28 November 5-9, Wimbledon Theatre November 11-16, Scarborough Stephen Joseph (McCarthy) November 18-23, Skipton Cattle Market November 26-30. (Antony and Cleopatra also at Bury St Edmunds, Wimbledon, Scarborough, Skipton).

Henry IV. Parts I and II (English Touring Theatre) Crewe Lyceum October 21-26, Oxford Playhouse October 28-November 2, Dartford Orchard November 4-9, Darlington Civic November 11-16, Coventry Warwick Arts Centre November 18-23, Richmond Theatre November 25-30, Blackpool Grand December 2-7, Edinburgh Festival December 9-14, Cambridge Arts January 21-25, Bath Theatre Royal February 25-March 1.

Macbeth (Mappa Mundi) Aberystwyth Arts Centre October 1-2, Ludlow Assembly Rooms October 4, Swansea Taliesin October 11-12, Cardiff Sherman October 15-19, Harlech Theatr Ardudwy October 24, Mold Theatr Clwyd October 28, Milford Haven Torch October 29-3O, Cardigan Theatr Muldan October 31, Brecon Guildhall November 1, Nerwtown Theatr Hafren November 2.

Hamlet (Oxford Stage Company) Huddersfield Lawrence Batley October 1-5, Hull New October 8-12, Crawley Hawth October 16-19, Preston Charter October 22-26, Buxton Opera House November 5-9, Cheltenham Everyman November 12-16, Reading Hexagon November 19-23, Bamstaple Queen’s November 26-3O.

Hamlet (Kaboodle) Winchester John Stripe October 22-23, Bracknell Wilde October 24-26, Burnley Mechanics (residency) October 28-29, Brentford Watermans October 30-31, Tunbridge Wells Trinity November 1, Burnley Mechanics November 4-l0, Newbury Watermill November 11-13, Brighton Gardner November 14-l5, Liverpool Everyman November 18-23, Kendal Brewery Arts Centre November 26, Horsham Arts Centre November 27-28, Wolverhampton Arena December 3-4.

Hamlet and Julius Caesar (Theatre Babel) Guernsey Beau Sejour September 30-October 1, Cardiff Chapter October 3-5, Stirling MacRobert (Caesar only) October l0-12, Omagh Town Hall October l5-16, Enniskil1en Ardhowen October 18-19, (Hamlet only), Belfast Civic Arts October 22-26, Cumbernauld Theatre October 28-30, Aberdeen Lemon Tree, October 31-November 2, Glasgow Cottier (Hamlet only), Glasgow Tramway November 25-30.

The Legend of Pericles (Green belt) Multiethnic cast and music Musselburgh Town Hall September 30 October 2, Berwick-upon-Tweed Maltings October 3-5, Pwllheli Neuadd Dwyfor October 9, Colwyn Bay Theatr Colwyn October 10-11, Manchester Dancehouse October 15-18, Cambridge Mumford October 22-24, Cardiff Point October 25-30, Bangor Theatr Gwynedd November 1-2.

The Tempest (Shared Experience) Malvern Festival November 12-16, Newcastle-upon-Tyne Playhouse January 13-18, Oxford Playhouse January 20-25, Richmond Theatre January 27-February l, Blackpool Grand February 3-8, Darlington Civic February 10-15, Barnstaple Queen’s February 17-22, Brighton Theatre Royal February 24-March 1.

Elsinore (Robert Lepage) one man and his contemporary ‘distillation’ of Hamlet Nottingham Playhouse November 20-23, Newcastle Playhouse November 27-30, Glasgow Tramway December 3-7, Cambridge Arts December 11-14.

Classics The Rivals (Magnificent Theatre Company) Lincoln Theatre Royal to October 5, Chatham Central Hall October 7-9, Redhill Harlequin October 10-12, Coventry Warwick Arts Centre October 21-26, Bexhill-on-Sea De La Warr Pavilion November 1-2, Bury St Edmunds Theatre Royal November 6-9, Billingham Forum November 11-16.

Mansfield Park (Chichester Festival) Richmond Theatre October 1-5, Newcastle-upon-Tyne Theatre Royal October 14-19, Guildford Yvonne Arnaud October 21-26, Malvern Festival October 28-November 2, Cardiff New November 4-9, Bath Theatre Royal November 11-16, Edinburgh Festival November 18-23.

Hard Times adapted Dennis Saunders (Good Company) Crawley Hawth September 30-October 5, Brighton Theatre Royal October 7-12, Chelmsford Civic October 14-19, Cheltenham Everyman October 21-26, Sunderland Empire November 4-9, Coventry Belgrade November 11-16, Glasgow Theatre Royal November 19-23, Preston Charter November 25-3O.

The Mill on the Floss adapted by Helen Edmundson (Contact Theatre) Bowness-on-Windermere old Laundry October 7-12, Oldham Grange Arts Centre October 15-I9, Manchester Wythenshawe Forum October 29-November 2.

Fortune’s Fool by Turgenev (Chichester Festival) Malvern Festival September 30-October 5, Bath Theatre Royal October 7- 12.

A Doll’s House September 30-October 5 Bath Theatre Royal, October 8-12 York Grand Opera House, October 15-19 Glasgow Theatre Royal.

Ghosts (Method and Madness) Liverpool Everyman October 29-November 2, Poole Towngate November 4-9, Coventry Warwick Arts Centre November 12-16.

An Enemy of the People (Orchard Theatre) tours south-west England to November 2 (details 01271 73356).

Twentieth Century Of Mice and Men (Touring Consortium) Inverness Eden Court October 8-12, Darlington Civic October 14-19, Nottingham Theatre Royal October 21-26, Wolverhampton Grand October 29-November 2, Norwich Theatre Royal November 5-9, Aberdeen His Majesty’s November 12-16, Sheffield Lyceum November 18-23, Bath Theatre Royal November 25-30.

The Belle Vue by Odon von Horvath ATC (see Exeter) Glasgow Tron October 8-12, Stirling MacRobert October 15-16, Canterbury Gulbenkian October 25-26, Swansea Pontardawe Arts Centre October 30-31, Brighton Gardner November 2, Oundle Stahl November 4-5, Cambridge Drama Centre November 6-8, Kendal Brewery Arts Centre November 11-12, Jersey Arts Centre November 14-15.

Men Should Weep by Ena Lamont Stewart (TAG and Dundee Rep). Thirties poverty in Forties play Stirling MacRobert October 1-2, Kirkcaldy Adam Smith October 4-5, Glasgow Tramway October 8-19, Aberdeen Arts Centre October 22-26, Edinburgh Traverse October 30-November 3, Stranraer Ryan Centre November 5, Dumfries Theatre Royal November 7-9 (Free education programme sponsored by Sainsbury; details from TAG 0141 429 2877).

Animal Farm adapted by Ian Wooldridge (Northern Stage) Cheltenham Everyman October 1-5, Coventry Warwick Arts Centre October 8-12, Taunton Brewhouse October 15-19, Middlesbrough Little October 22-26, Wakefield Theatre Royal October 30-November 1, Dundee Rep November 5-23.

Endgame (Compass) National tour, with Krapp’s Last Tape also at some venues to Sheffield Library December 13-21 (details: 0114 275 5328).

Modern Top Storey (Trestle Theatre) tours South and Midlands to November 29 (details 0181 441 0349).

Dead Funny by Terry Johnson - nudity and humour dissected - Dartford Orchard September 30-October 5, Coventry Belgrade October 7-12, Poole Towngate October 21-26, Cheltenham Everyman October 28-November 2, Crawley Hawth November 4-9.

Dealer’s Choice by Patrick Marber (Royal National Theatre) - comedy among the poker players Guildford Yvonne Arnaud September 30-October 5, Canterbury Marlowe October 7-12, Sheffield Lyceum October 22-26, York Grand Opera House October 28-November 2, Newcastle-upon-Tyne Theatre Royal.

Shakers -the Musical by Jane Thornton and John Godber, music by Rex and Harvey Brough (Hull Truck) Bury St Edmunds Theatre Royal September 30-October 5, Croydon Ashcroft October 7-12, Southend-on-Sea Palace October 14-19, Huddersfield Lawrence Batley October 28-November 2, Glasgow old Athenaeum November 4-9, Worthing Connaught November 12-16, Stevenage Gordon Craig November 18-23, Manchester Dancehouse November 26-30, Buxton Opera House December 3-7, Blackpool Grand December 9-14.

Death and the Maiden by Ariel Dorfman (Millstream) tours South and Midlands plus Stockport October 1-November 21 (details 01892 518868).

Temporary Rupture by Michael Ellis (Black Theatre Co-operative). Jilted Beverley succeeds in business and plans revenge on returning Raymond. Tours England October 16-November 30. (details 0171 226 1225).

New Works Blue Murder is Peter Nichols’ double, interlinked bill, blue and hilarious Newcastle-upon-Tyne Theatre Royal September 30-October 5, Sheffield Lyceum October 7-12, Cardiff New October 14-19, Woking New Victoria October 21-26, Norwich Theatre Royal October 28-November 2.

The Handyman by Ronald Harwood (Chichester Festival). A perfect afternoon for a wealthy Sussex family, as their handyman. But the arrival of two men brings clouds from the last world war. Richmond Theatre October 7-12, Malvern Festival October 14-19, Bath Theatre Royal October 21-26, Guildford Yvonne Arnaud October 28-November 2.

Sympathy for the Devil by Roy Winston (Basic Theatre and Graeae) offers comedy, conflict and soul music as performers representing Black Britain are patronised at a Special Arts festival. It tours England November 5-30 (details 0171 267 1959).

On Yer Bike by Stewart Howson (NTC Theatre). A friend’s death brings cyclists together. Howson is a skilled, cunning and comic writer whose work brings out the best in small-scale venues. Tours north-east England, Midlands, Clwyd, Yorkshire and Buckinghamshire to November 16 (details 01665 602586).

PoW! by Aidan Healy (Paines Plough) Prizefight play with drum ‘n’ bass soundtrack tours out of Derby round England November 6-December 14 (details 0171 700 5358).

Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux, adapted by Anthony Peters (Show of Hands). Deaf and hearing actors use sign language, sign mime and speech in a visual telling of the tale. Tours England and Northern Ireland to November 29 (details 0171 359 8224).

The Fall of the House of Usherettes (Forkbeard Fantasy) Theatre and film company places Poe in an old cinema, touring England and Scotland October l0-December 8 (details 0117 924 8141).

The Trout Sisters in ‘The House of a Hundred Storeys’. (Foursight Theatre) A Devon hotel, all the rage in the Twenties, lies deserted, dinner laid for 60 people. This is the setting for the new show by this dynamic Wolverhampton-based physical theatre company. Tours south-west, west Midlands, Bracknell and Leeds to November 13 (details 01902 714257).

Showtime (Forced Entertainment). Thugs and pantomime elements in the latest from this cutting-edge performance group. Tours north England, Cambridge, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Hampshire, Bristol, Birmingham and Bedford to December 6 (details 0114 279 8977). Also a gallery installation Ground Plans for Paradise Sheffield Workstation November 26-28.

Beatrix by Patrick Garland and Judy Taylor (Chichester Festival) with Patricia Routledge as Beatrix Potter Guildford Yvonne Arnaud October 7-19, Richmond Theatre October 21-26, Bath Theatre Royal November 4-9.

Young People’s Theatre Le Moulin Magique (Theatre Sans Fronti res) Comedy, clowning, puppets and masks in this ecological Breton folk tale adaptation, in simple French; tours England and Wales to November 8 (01434 606787).

The Roly Poly Pudding by Tim Webb (Oily Cart) Puppets, comedy and songs for 2-5s. Mainly in nurseries but some public performances in England, Scotland, Wales up to West Yorkshire Playhouse November 26-30 (details 0181 672 6329).

Monster and Frog Mind the Baby by Rose Impey (Open Hand) to October 6 (details 01422 330101).

Baby Love by Carey English (Quicksilver Theatre) for 3-5s. A young boy finds he has a baby sister. Tours nationally from November 11 (details 0171 241 2942).

A Little Conversation with the Sea (Cleveland Theatre Company) for 3-6s at Darlington Arts Centre October 17 and Colchester Mercury November 2, also One Night in February, a play about dreams by Staffan Gothe, for 7-10s at Peterlee Arts Centre October 8 and Darlington Arts Centre October 17 (schools performances also. Details 01642 634815).

Crivelli’s Garden by Fiona Graham (Theatre Centre) Inspired by Paula Rego’s painting of the same name (in the National Gallery) this story of separation for senior secondary students developed from work with Salisbury students, teachers and artists. Public performances in Bedford, Hemel Hempstead, Darlington, Lewes, Andover and Salisbury (details 0171 377 0379).

Go Noah Go! by John Agard (Little Angel Theatre) A Caribbean Noah’s Ark for 4s and over from this major puppet centre. Tours England to December. Also The Ugly Duckling adapted by Violet Philpott, for 3-8s, with hand held and rod puppets. Tours from October (details 0171 226 1787).

Snow White and the Dwarfs and Paper Tiger (Norwich Puppet Theatre). Public performances in Norwich, Brighton and West Yorkshire Playhouse (November 4-9) of Snow White, for 4-8s, and Barnet, Norwich, Cambridge of Tiger for 5-11s.

Two Christmas tours:The Snow Queen by Mike Kenny (Open Hand) for 5-10s visits Manchester Green Room November 22-24, Kendal Brewery Arts Centre November 28-30, Ormskirk Rose December 3-4, Darlington Arts Centre December 5-7, Alnwick Playhouse December 10-11, Cambridge Drama Centre December 13-15, Leicester Phoenix December 17-29, mixing day and evening shows.

The Golden Touch (Orchard Theatre with Theatre De La Manicle) evokes ancient Greece in the education of a modern businessman. Exeter Northcott November 20-23, Bristol QEH November 25-26, Ilfracombe Victoria Pavilion November 29-30, Taunton Brewhouse December 2-7, Plymouth Drum December 10-28, Frome Merlin January 9-11, Bideford College January 14-18, Falmouth Arts Centre January 21-25, Torrington Plough January 29-31.

Finally, two storytelling theatre pieces from south-west England. Telling Tales is Kneehigh Theatre’s mix of comic and poetic October 28-December 22 (details 01872 223159), while Theatre Alibi offer some public perforrnances in the region of their new show The Beady Pool, using original stories for 5-10s (details 01392 217315).

All dates shown here are subject to change. Please check with the relevant theatre.