CUTTING-EDGE comedy, acoustic guitar, family fun and a science cafe are all on offer as part of Otley Courthouse’s new season.

Highlights include comedy from Mitch Benn, a regular on BBC Radio 2 and 4 with his production of Don’t Believe a Word, theatre company Paper Zoo’s production of The Dentist, and a range of music, including acoustic singer/songwriter David Knopfler, formerly of Dire Straits, Snake Davis and his band on their Classic Sax solo tour, chamber folk quartet Rant and soul classics from The Solicitors.

For family audiences, the half term holiday sees an appearance by much-loved author and illustrator Nick Sharratt, who will bring his Big Draw Along event to the Courthouse and there’s a family matinee screening of The Lego Movie.

During the Easter holidays Image Musical Theatre presents The Sword in the Stone, in which the audience is invited to get involved with Merlin’s adventures, and Half Moon Theatre will perform Pop Up Flashback.

The Courthouse is looking forward to welcoming history and music fans through its doors this month.

The venue, which reopened on Monday following its Christmas break, will receive a grisly but fascinating insight into Richard III’s bloody final moments on January 17.

Locally based expert Bob Woosnam Savage will explain what the forensic evidence tells us about the monarch’s violent end at the Battle of Bosworth when he presents Killed the Boar, Shaved his Head at 7.30pm.

Senior Curator of European Edged Weapons at the Royal Armouries, Mr Woosnam Savage was also part of the expert team which examined Richard III’s skeleton after it was unearthed from a Leicester car park.

Tickets cost £8 or £6 in advance or £9 or £7 on the door.

A few days later Fish and Bird will bring their popular blend of folk and Indie music to the venue on January 21.

The acclaimed Canadian band, playing their first UK show en route to headlining Celtic Connections, will take the stage at 8pm.

Tickets cost £10 or £8 beforehand or £11 or £9 on the night.

Music from the era when Motown and Sax artists ruled the world, meanwhile, will be performed by The Solicitors on January 30, from 8pm.

The eight-piece will be playing a wide selection of soul classics to get the audience up on their feet dancing. Tickets cost £10 in advance or £11 on the door - or £12 for limited, guaranteed seating.

For tickets or information about any forthcoming attractions visit otleycourthouse.org.uk, call (01943) 467466, or pop in to the arts and resource centre, on Courthouse Street.