Brenda Blethyn, who for a brief time performed with the Chichester Players, returns to play of the greatest roles in American theatre - faded Southern belle Amanda Wingfield in The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams (October 6-11).

Ms Blethyn was nominated for Oscars for Little Voice and Secrets & Lies, and among her other award-winning films are Pride And Prejudice, Atonement and Saving Grace.

Other highlights of the season include a rare production of Alan Bennett's 1980 play, Enjoy (October 27 to November 1), with Alison Steadman, creator of the monstrous Beverly in Abigail's Party, and David Troughton (RSC, National Theatre and New Tricks).

A new adaptation by award-winning playwright April de Angelis of Wuthering Heights will have Susannah York and Amanda Ryan as the older and younger Cathy (November 12-15).

Nichola McAuliffe plays Katisha in the Carl Rosa Opera Company production of The Mikado (November 18-22).

Other notable offerings include a modern South African version of Mozart's opera, The Magic Flute (October 13-16), and archetypal Agatha Christie thriller And Then There Were None, with a cast led by TV veteran Gerald Harper (October 21-25).

Chichester Festival Youth Theatre will again fill the theatre at Christmas with an adaptation by award-winning playwright Bryony Lavery of A Christmas Carol, with new music and lyrics by Jason Carr (December 13-28).

Among one-off events are performances by comedians Dara O'Briain, Jimmy Carr and Sandi Toksvig, Circus of Horrors, Dionne Warwick, Chichester-born jazz pianist and composer Zoe Rahman, and Jacqui Dankworth and Todd Gordon paying tribute to Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald.
And a Roots Around The World festival takes place in the final week in November.

The BBC Concert orchestra gives three concerts between November and February, and the new year will also bring productions of Swan Lake and The Nutcracker by the Kiev Classical Ballet.

Details and tickets: (01243) 781312 or www.cft.org.uk.