LEISURE chiefs have raised the curtain on what will be the first show at the Haymarket Theatre when it reopens in September.

An adaptation of Roald Dahl's classic Danny the Champion of the World by the Birmingham Stage Company will run from September 25 to 29, with tickets going on sale at The Anvil box office from March 1.

Borough council bosses hope the announcement will dispel any fears that the Basingstoke theatre will not reopen, following the decision to close it in January and hand over management to The Anvil Trust.

Councillor Keith Chapman, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council's sport and leisure chief, and Christine Bradwell, The Anvil chief executive, said the show will kick off a new programme that will focus on attracting younger people to the theatre and put more emphasis on dance.

Ms Bradwell said: "One of our major themes in our approach to the future is about young people and families. It is about how we get the next generation of theatre-goers excited and involved in theatre."

Cllr Chapman said: "I take the view that after a very short period of time, the critics will be silenced because it is such a fantastic programme."

Although Danny the Champion of the World is a touring production, Ms Bradwell revealed that The Anvil's new business plan for the Haymarket includes two in-house productions before the end of March 2008.

Basingstoke Amateur Theatrical Society is also booked to perform there in November this year, and Basingstoke Amateur Operatic Society is set to take to the stage in February next year.

Ms Bradwell added: "The Haymarket cannot return to being a full-time producing house. It is going to be a mixture."

Full details of the new autumn season are set to be revealed by May.

On Tuesday, Cllr Chapman and the rest of the council's Cabinet are set to agree a grant worth more than £1million to The Anvil Trust for 2007/08 to cover the cost of running both venues.

The decision has sparked controversy among opposition borough councillors, as it covers about half of the fund available for grants to sport and leisure facilities in the borough.

But Cllr Chapman defended the decision, saying the grant represents the total amount that would have been given to both venues if they were still operating separately, with just a 1.5 per cent increase on last year's grants.