Get ready for a bold, brilliant line-up of music, theatre, conversation and comedy at Salisbury Playhouse and Salisbury Arts Centre this autumn. Enjoy three months packed with live performance and explore your own creativity with new participatory opportunities.

Some of the folk scene’s most exciting artists bring virtuoso musicianship and infectious energy to the season. Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakemancelebrate 30 years of making music together, The Haar share poetic interpretations of traditional songs and Awake Arise unites five rising English folk stars.

Wiltshire Creative are proudly providing a stage for local legends following Salisbury Arts Centre’s best venue award at The Salisbury Music Awards, including False Futures and Carsick, while future stars can show off their skills at Band Night Halloween Party - created for young people, by young people.

It’s also a season of musical reminiscence, from swinging to the 60s with The Zoots, transporting to the 20s with Pasadena Roof Orchestra or enjoying easy listening from Tenors Un Limited. And there are big tributes to great names from Genesis to Bowie.

The theatre programme is already booking fast after its launch in April. From best-selling novel to major hit Netflix series, The Haunting of Hill House now takes to the stage with a chilling theatrical adaptation produced by Wiltshire Creative in association with Theatr Clwyd. Don’t miss this world premiere. Other autumn highlights on the main stage include a major revival of the modern classic East is East, co-produced by Wiltshire Creative, Octagon Theatre Bolton, Citizens Theatre & Derby Theatre, and two visiting productions, The Anastasia File and Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of). And, of course, audiences will be treated to Wiltshire Creative’s award-winning pantomime for the festive season, with a new version of Beauty and the Beast.

The reopening of the Salberg Studio as Salisbury Playhouse celebrates its 50th anniversary has been received positively by the local community. This intimate stage welcomes Up Down Big Man, produced by Myrtle Theatre Company and Wiltshire Creative, alongside visiting productions Two Halves of Guinness and A Christmas Carol.

Families will enjoy the return of the home-produced Salberg Christmas offer, too, with Beatrix Potter's The Tailor of Gloucester, directed by Wiltshire Creative’s Artistic Director Gareth Machin. Another season highlight for younger audiences is funny, family-friendly adventure Rabbit & Rey and the Lost Things from Stuff and Nonsense Theatre Company, staged at Salisbury Arts Centre.

Autumn also sees the biggest ever line-up of fascinating talks outside the Festival season. Join author and former war reporter Damien Lewis to discover the never-before-told story of SAS Captain Lewis ‘Archie’ Gibson. And broadcaster Matthew Stadlen presents four nights of compelling conversation with famous names: entrepreneur Deborah Meaden, poet, novelist and essayist Sir Ben Okri, journalist Matt Frei and actor Trevor Eve.

There are big names from the world of comedy, too, with stand-up shows from Daniel Kitson, Mark Simmons, Michael Spicer and Lucy Porter. Take a trip into silliness and surrealism with improv a-plenty, from Paul Merton & Suki Webster’s Improv Show to The Noise Next Door, and five-star Fringe favourites Pinch Punch welcome you aboard Locomotive for Murder: The Improvised Whodunnit. Or, for fast-paced, funny theatre full of 90s pop-culture references, try Buffy ReVamped, from comedian Brendan Murphy.

Wiltshire Creative’s participatory programme offers new ways to get creative for all ages. There are plenty of opportunities for young people to get involved, whether as trainee technicians, ambassadors, or dropping in for a jam session. For younger children and their families, there are Friday Under 5 sessions and a CrAfter School Club, plus an imaginative stay-and-play day for October half term. Adults can explore dance, theatre arts and much more.

Gareth Machin, Artistic Director, Wiltshire Creative, said: “We’re delighted to share this vibrant programme for the autumn season. We’re excited to reopen the Salberg Studio as we celebrate the Playhouse’s 50th anniversary, and we’re revitalising the Arts Centre with new participatory activities alongside live performances. We look forward to seeing you at an event very soon.”