THERE’S a new season in prospect from Huddersfield Thespians and what a powerhouse it looks.

There are top writers, some of the company’s best directing and acting talents and some new faces brought into the mix.

Exciting times then for one of the town’s busiest societies which has no fewer than five shows in its season which kicks off in just a couple of weeks’ time running right through until early May.

Not that the company has been idle over the summer. That’s when a lot of the preparation is done and there’s a lot of it to do.

Five plays chosen, directors in place, auditions held, casting pretty much on schedule.

Those auditions this summer turned up some new finds apparently. And as many societies would confirm, attracting new actors isn’t always easy.

The Thespians are delighted that some of their new faces will be appearing with them on stage at the Lawrence Batley Theatre this season, the very first of them in the opening show, Ladies Down Under.

It’s another laugh-out-loud comedy piece from Amanda Whittington, the same writer who penned Ladies Day which was such a hit for the Thespians this time last year.

The dates for your diary on that reunion with the fish-filleting foursome are October 9 to 13.

But then in November, to complement the longer evenings, comes something much darker as you would expect when the name of thriller writer Stephen King is involved.

Simon Moore has adapted King’s hugely successful novel, Misery for the stage and brought with it all the chill of that one single thought.

What happens to a man who writes for a living when the day arrives when he must write for his life!

The Thespians are rightly setting that in the intimate surroundings of the LBT’s Cellar Theatre so expect to feel that sense of tension that sharp writing in the hands of an experienced director such as Lawrence Barker is sure to create.

Keith Royston is an actor and director who has never been one to shirk a challenge. He’s also got a cracking sense of humour.

So expects lots of fun when he and the ladies of Huddersfield Thespians recreate the sunshine feel of one of the movie hits of recent years, Calendar Girls.

What better way to banish the January blues than to retell the story of a group of ordinary women who decide to do something extraordinary and spark a global phenomenon when they persuade one another to pose for a charity calendar with a difference!

There have been no shortage of volunteers among the Thespians’ to play in this much-loved comedy even though they will be on stage in what could turn out to be the depths of winter, January 29-February 2. Turn up the heating LBT!

Over the years, the Thespians and their experienced directors have used their extensive skills and pool of knowledge to get the very best out of the Cellar Theatre, staging some of the best theatre pieces seen in that particular venue.

There’s every chance of having still more of those quality performances since the company is staging not just Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler in the Cellar Theatre next year but also, six of Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads series of monologues.

Julie Root and Alistair Cheetham will share the plaudits no doubt as well as the plays when they take on the words of Alan Bennett next spring.

Darkly comic, wonderfully uplifting, modern classics. What more could you want from a night at the theatre? Well more.

And here you have it. For the Thespians have time-tabled the shows in such a way that by running three on three nights then a different three on the other three nights of the six night run, you have three opportunities to see all six! Get it?

Box office is on 01484 430528 and there are more details on www.huddersfieldthespians.co.uk