FAMOUS faces and big-name stars add up to another strong season at Malvern Theatres in the autumn.

Among the famous faces coming to the Worcestershire theatre will be Ross Kemp, Edward Woodward, Penelope Keith, Donald Sinden, Lesley Joseph, David Essex, Jim Davidson, Hayley Mills, Phil Tufnell and Ray Mears.

The season also includes a full programme of films, dozens of concerts, a return visit by the Russian Ice Stars and the traditional Christmas pantomime.

The season opens in September with The Royal Shakespeare Company's production of The Hollow Crown, starring Susannah York and Donald Sinden. The production tells the story of the Royal Family through history using poems, songs, letters and music.

The season carries on through September with Alan Bennett's Forty Years On and The Play What I Wrote, a celebration of Morecambe and Wise.

The comedy continues with the Cemetery Club, starring Edward Woodward, Shirley Anne Field, Michele Dotrice and Anne Charleston. The play tells tale of three golden girls and how one man changed their lives forever.

Another star-studded production is Humble Boy, which features Hayley Mills, Tony Booth and Brigit Forsyth. Set in the Cotswolds, the play echoes the theme of Hamlet and explores themes of love, death and longing.

Shakespeare is well represented this season, with a production of The Taming of the Shrew starring Ross Kemp and Nicola McAuliffe. The programme also includes the Shakespeare schools festival and a production of Romeo and Juliet.

Other highlights include We Happy Few, a new play by Imogen Stubbs about wartime entertainers, J B Priestley's Time and the Conways, starring Penelope Keith, performances by both the English Symphony Opera and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Sleeping Beauty on Ice.

One-off performances include a concert with David Essex, poems by Pam Ayres and evenings with Jim Davidson and cricketer Phil Tufnell.

Films on offer include The Pianist, Life is Beautiful, Hope and Glory, The Land Girls, To Kill a King and Sunset Boulevard.

As always, the season culminates with the theatre's pantomime. This year its production of Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood stars Ruth Madoc.

For information and tickets call the box office on 01684 892277 or log on to www.malvern-theatres.co.uk.