Dennis Potter's Blue Remembered Hills kick-starts a fresh season at The Dukes, no doubt heralding another bumper year for the Lancaster venue and following on from an amazingly successful autumn 2004 season that included the box-office record-breaking, Abigail's Party.

Dukes artistic director Ian Hastings is in a buoyant mood: "It's easy to sound smug about 2004.

"More people came to Abigail's Party than even we expected; lots more saw The Talented Mr Ripley; and scores of families came to see the Lost Warrior over Christmas.

"We can take all this encouragement into 2005.

"I get to direct two great plays by great writers and to promenade a specially-written show of stories from all over the world entitled Tom Thumb and Other Giant Stories as the summer play-in-the-park. It is written by Gareth Machin, who adapted last year's Canterbury Tales."

Potter's Blue Remembered Hills runs from February 4-26. Set in 1942 in the Forest of Dean, it's about seven children mucking around on a summer's afternoon. Some are noisy and bossy while others are nervous and unsure. They all feel and express the effects of growing up during the war in their different ways.

Adult actors play all the children in what is a deceptively simple tale.

"The play is at turns funny and sad as we follow the children's adventures on an unsupervised summer's afternoon while they play, argue, fight and explore," adds Ian.

Following the Potter classic is Betrayal, by Harold Pinter, opening on March 11.

Set in the world of publishing, Pinter's play lays bare the tangled relationships of its three main characters together with all the hurts of a long-standing affair.

As well as the Dukes' own productions, there are many touring shows coming to the theatre, including leading theatre companies Out of Joint, Horse and Bamboo, Salisbury Playhouse, M6 Theatre, and Monster Productions with their new children's show, Hogwash, to name but a few.

Meanwhile, the Dukes Cinema has developed a new programming strategy and instead of a bi-monthly programme it will change monthly.

Yes, it is all happening at the Dukes, not just on the stage, but off it too - with new seating, bar, gallery and foyer.

For further details of all the Dukes shows contact the box office on 01524-598500 or check out www.dukes-lancaster.org