THE twelve-strong Pasadena Roof Orchestra will be transporting audiences back to the 1920s and 30s for the first live event lined up for Pershore's Number 8 arts centre autumn season.

The popular orchestra, which plays music from the likes of Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Bing Crosby, Duke Ellington, Bix Beiderbecke and more, will be in town on September 1 and will also launch the 2005 Pershore Jazz Festival.

The festival continues for four days all over the town under this year's theme A Lifetime in Jazz. At Number 8 there will be a free concert with Worcester Youth Jazz Orchestra and The Antique Six, a show by Garry Allcock's Midland All Stars Band and a visit from The Gresy-White Ragtimers. For Jazz Festival details, call 01386 554235.

Continuing into autumn, the new Number 8 season includes entertainment for all ages and tastes.

One of the major visitors will be the Reduced Shakespeare Company which is bringing its new show Completely Hollywood (abridged). It promises a new way to enjoy all the Tinseltown classics in one evening.

Other theatre lined up includes Beyond Midnight, the adult fairytale about Cinderella's daughter, the Edwardian drama The Mysterious Mr Love, and Scrooge The Musical, which is the December production by the Pershore Operatic and Dramatic Society.

Music lovers will be able to enjoy events from Wychavon Festival of Brass, a piano recital by Mark Bebbington, the West Midlands Light Orchestra, Blazin' Fiddles, The Big Swing and an evening of words and music with poet and painter Bob Devereux and guitarist Adrian O'Reilly.

Dance fans are also in for a treat with a visit from Samudra, an international dance company performing dance and music from India, Subitango!, combining top dancers and musicians, and the ever popular Nutcracker performed by the Vienna Festival Ballet.

Add to that an evening with top explorer David Hempleman-Adams, children's theatre and workshops, all the top films, interesting art exhibitions in the gallery and a full programme of arts and leisure activities, from yoga to fiction writing, and there is something for everyone.

Programming and marketing manager Charlotte Saunders said Number 8 was going from strength to strength since its opening less than a year ago. It has already scooped the Best Regional Project award from Advantage West Midlands in recognition of its community success and it has gone on to the national awards finals. Staff members are also busy compiling results of audience surveys carried out during the year to make sure they are continuing to give people what they want in their local arts centre.

l AND to tell you more, you can spend one of your summer nights at Number 8 this weekend and enjoy a good dose of Grease.

Greased Lightning is a show for fans of the hit musical and 50s rock 'n' roll in general. Slick your hair back for a first half of crepe-soled classics and a second act of pure Grease delights on Saturday from 7.30pm.