IT WAS what Anvil Chief Executive Christine Bradwell termed an "auspicious moment", the unveiling of the new programme of events for the re-launched Haymarket Theatre.

Whilst details of both the opening and Christmas shows were previously known to the public, rumours had been circulating around town for a while as to the faces and plays which would be making an appearance in the revamped venue.

Introducing the full listings, Ms Bradwell spoke of the strong positioning of "traditional theatre plays both classic and contemporary", including "an innovative version of a major classic."

The "traditional" performances will include Michael Frayn's Noises Off, in an exclusive production just for Basingstoke, and Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest, starring Tony Britton.

The Wales Theatre Company will bring the very different Macbeth Kill Bill Shakespeare, and Ms Bradwell was swift to reassure those present that it was utilised the actual text and would be a play "which anybody who likes their Shakespeare will enjoy."

She said: "People have been updating Shakespeare since he wrote it, whether they're putting it into Victorian frocks or whether they're playing it in the Iraqi war. This is another way of making that text exciting and relevant to those who people not have previously chosen to engage with it."

One of the key innovations is Youth Shout 2007, a group of three contrasting performances featuring young people from Basingstoke. Diverse forms such as rap, poetry, physical theatre, animation and graffiti will come together in a one-night-only multimedia experience on November 10.

Also planned are a run of last year's Edinburgh Fringe First winner, Meeting Joe Strummer, Big Wooden Horse's The Night Before Christmas and BATS, who'll perform Carousel from November 12-24.

Conor McPherson's tale of vampires and theatre critics St Nicholas, starring Father Ted's Peter Dineen, arrives at the Haymarket on October 13 from a sell-out season on London.

And the Horseshoe Theatre Company's founder, Guy Slater, will return to the venue which he helped establish as a performance space to direct Anvil Arts' production of Cyrano de Begerac from February 1-16.

Christine explained their approach: "It's been two-fold. We don't want to drive away the old audience - we're not anti the past in any way. Guy directing for us is a way of communicating this. We're still here for that traditional theatre-going audience, but the hope is that we can also get new ones in as well.

"The new work is in addition to, not instead of, this. We're not throwing out every work which the Haymarket's very loyal audience have enjoyed.

"It's exactly the same as what we do at The Anvil. It's all about saying look, we're not making value judgements about what you want to see, we're not saying that people who want to see the classic well-made plays are better or worse than the people who want to see something else. It's just different.

"In the arts today, things have changed, so people are having to work together. Now, producing one play in one town is really very rarely viable. We know we won't play to 100% audience, whether it's new music, new opera or new drama. But if you don't try, it's not going to happen at all, and that would be tragic."

All shows will be on sale from July 4.

Box office: 01256 844244, www. theanvil.org.uk

September 25-29 Danny, the Champion of the World

October 1-6 Noises Off

October 9 We Are Shadows

October 12 Chatsva

October 13 St Nicholas

October 17-20 Macbeth Kill Bill Shakespeare

October 23-27 Meeting Joe Strummer

October 29 - November 2 The Importance of Being Earnest

November 7, 9-10 Youth Shout 2007

November 12-24 Carousel

November 26-27 The Night Before Christmas

December 6 - January 5 The Wizard of Oz