The stars are beating a path to Bradford for a stunning new season of musical theatre.

The Alhambra and St George's Hall lifted the curtain today on their shows for the new year - and revealed a Dickens of a programme.

The centrepiece is a seven-week run of the smash-hit musical Oliver!, starring comedian Gary Wilmot as Fagin.

Lionel Bart's show is now the longest-running in the history of the London Palladium, and this production by the impresario Cameron Mackintosh comes to Bradford on the back of the success of Les Misrables last summer.

It will boast a cast and orchestra of more than 70 - and the Dickensian children are expected to be augmented by local performers.

Les Misrables was by far the biggest money-spinner in Bradford's theatrical history, and tickets for Oliver! are expected to be snapped up long before the show opens on June 29.

Les Mis ran for a record 12 weeks at the Alhambra, took in nearly £2.5 million at the box office, and was credited with boosting business at many city centre hotels and restaurants.

Its success has secured not only Oliver! for the city but also the blockbuster Phantom of the Opera, which will arrive here for an extended season in summer 2000.

Other season's highlights include a stage version of BBC2's hit Asian comedy, Goodness Gracious Me. It will be at the Alhambra for one night, on March 12.

Bradford-born Timothy West and his wife, Prunella Scales, will be here in April, in Harold Pinter's classic comedy, The Birthday Party. And Peter Bowles will head the cast of the thriller, Sleuth, in March.

Paul Nicholas will star in the spectacular, swashbuckling Broadway version of Gilbert and Sullivan's operetta, The Pirates of Penzance, from February 23.

The Northern Ballet Theatre will perform the first dance version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, from April 27. And the evergreen rockers The Hollies will make their first Alhambra appearance in March.

The sexy comedy, Girls' Night Out in Ibiza, comes to Bradford in February, followed in March by the rock and roll sequel, Return to the Forbidden Planet.

Highlights at the St George's Hall include tributes to Billy Fury, Abba, Queen and the Rolling Stones. There will be a return appearance by the once-controversial, Full Monty-style dance troupe, The Chippendales.

Classical performances include Prokofiev's Peter and The Wolf in March, and Verdi's Rigoletto on February 17.

For children, there's Goldilocks and the Three Bears and the comedy, Funny Bones.

Meanwhile, the chart-topping band Steps have been confirmed for a one-night appearance at St George's Hall on March 17.

With more shows still to be announced, tickets are going on sale next Tuesday.

Booking information will be available on (01274) 752000.

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