TWISTING psychological thrillers, hilarious comedies and one-night gems – all are contained in The Haymarket’s Spring/Summer season for 2014.

The varied programme is headlined by The Devil at Midnight, She Stoops to Conquer and Terence Rattigan’s poignant In Praise of Love.

In the former, Liz Burns, a psychoanalyst, receives an unexpected visitor – Nicki, a deeply troubled young woman who is visited in her dreams by a bearded devil who carries her away to a lonely, terrifying old house. 

In addition, Apollo Theatre Company present Carrie’s War in May, bringing Nina Bawden’s classic novel to the stage in a feast of story-telling and nostalgia fit for the whole family. 

And a starry cast come to town in June for ID Plays Ltd’s Ladies in Retirement. Shirley Anne Field, Oliver Mellor, Kim Taylforth and Karen Ford are the leads in this taut melodrama is based on a famous murder which actually took place at the end of the nineteenth century. 

Famous local face Steve Hewlett performs in the venue on June 21. 

July brings sweet children’s production What the Ladybird Heard, based on the award-winning picture book by Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks. Join the woolly sheep, the hairy hog, the fat red hen and the dainty dog in this brand new stage adaptation with live music, puppetry, plenty of audience participation and lots of laughs!

Andrea Bath, from Anvil Arts, said “The Haymarket will be buzzing with a great mix of shows from now until the summer.

“There are also some great one-night shows in amongst the longer runs so don’t miss those which include The Christians, Ballet Cymru’s interpretation of Beauty and the Beast, the intriguing Ballad of Martha Brown, fiery flamenco from Jaleo, and The Simon & Garfunkel Story direct from London’s West End.”

For more information or for tickets, call the box office on 01256 844244, or log on to anvilarts.org.uk.  

The season in full

1-2 April - In Praise of Love

11 April - Marty MacDonald’s Farm

12 April - The Christians

26 April - Swing Unlimited All Stars Big Band

1-3 May - The Devil at Midnight

7-10 May - She Stoops To Conquer

22-24 May - Carrie’s War

31 May - Ballet Cymru: Beauty and The Beast

7 June - Surfin’ USA

11 June - The Ballad of Martha Brown

12-14 June - Ladies in Retirement

20 June - Jaleo Flamenco

21 June - Steve Hewlett and Friends

27 June - Reduced Shakespeare Company in The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) (revised)

28 June - The Simon and Garfunkel Story

10 July - The Good Person of Szechwan presented by Basingstoke Youth Theatre

11-13 July - What The Ladybird Heard