THE new season at Ludlow Assembly Rooms includes Tony Robinson, a one-man dramatisation of Sherlock Holmes, European Ballet performing Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker and Hull Truck theatre's I Want That Hair!

Popular folk duo The Badgers should win hearts on January 21 with their unique and recognisable melding of gipsy jazz, blues, bluegrass, Celtic, Western swing and folk.

These two have shared bills with Ruby Turner, Gary Potter, The Hamsters and The Chris George Band and have toured Germany, Ireland and Iceland.

Live comedy on February 4 brings Laurence Clark and The Jim Davidson Guide to Equality to Ludlow. Wheelchair-bound he manages to tackle some of the oldest prejudices head-on and still has the audience in fits of laughter.

The title originates from an incident when Jim Davidson allegedly cancelled a show as disabled people were in his front row. Laurence Clark maintains he'd cancel if Davidson was in his!

Stageworks Theatre presents Jim Cartwright's character study of a northern pub in Two on February 17.

Its eccentric customers and its warring landlord and wife won much acclaim in 1989 and the play has been in production somewhere around the world ever since.

Leading period orchestra The King's Consort visits on February 18 under the baton of distinguished director Robert King.

It will play a varied Baroque programme by Handel, Geminiani, Vivaldi, Purcell, Albinoni and Bach.

Tony Robinson performs his one-man show - A Cunning Night Out - on February 23, followed by the internationally revered UK Chinese Ensemble on February 24.

Talented singers - Helen Watson, on March 11, Ola Onabule, on April 21 - musicians - New Orleans Heat, on April 8, Young-Choon Park, on March 31 - and some rocking good nights flesh out an exciting new season.