WHEN the Garrick opened its doors for the new season’s bookings on Monday, they had a surge of interest.

Neville Roby, theatre manager, said: “We’re on course for breaking records with ticket sales and the phone never stopped all that day.

“We’ve also had an increase in on-line booking.”

The first play, from September 11 – 16, will be Ladies in Lavender, an award winning love story with a difference, adapted for stage by Shauna McKenna, directed by Barry Purvis.

From September 25 – 30, it’s a comedy by Ray Cooney. Directed by Alan Clements, It Runs in the Family begins in a hospital where a doctor delivering a prestigious lecture is interrupted when his mistress turns up.

A classic midsummer murders style whodunit, Nightmare, by Norman Robins, directed by Carole Carr, runs from October 16 – 21.

Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall, adapted for stage by Mike Poulton and directed by Nick Sample will, undoubtedly, attract audiences. Set in the Court of Henry VIII, this epic, historical drama will run from November 6 – 11.

One of Alan Aykbourn’s Christmas farces follows Directed by John Chidgey, Season’s Greetings, shows what happens when family and friends gather to celebrate Christmas at Neville and Belinda’s house. It runs between 20th and 25th November 20th and 25th.

Then it’s the children's favourite panto - Sleeping Beauty.

It runs from December 15 to January 7 2018. Written and directed by Alan Clements, it features a princess who has her finger pricked and doesn’t wake up until kissed by a prince.

The Garrick’s smaller theatre, the Lauriston, is putting on two plays before Christmas. They are These Shining Lives, a play about love, friendship and justice by Melanie Marnich, directed by Parissa Zamanpour, from October 23 - 28 and Orphans, about two adult orphans by Lyle Kessler, directed by Julie Cunningham from December 4 – 9.

For more information, telephone 0161 928 1677..