A NEW PROGRAMME packed with leading music, theatre and comedy acts has been launched by Otley Courthouse.

The arts venue will welcome a host of award-winning artists between March and August - including UK vocal icon Kiki Dee accompanied by guitarist and composer Carmelo Luggeri.

The pair, who have been performing their stripped-back acoustic live show across the UK and Europe for almost two decades, will perform on Saturday, April 4.

Other big names who will be appearing in 2020 include Best Duo Radio 2 Folk Award winners Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman, as part of their On Reflection tour, and Otley’s own Hope and Social plus fellow local heroes The Jon Palmer Acoustic Band.

Music fans can also look forward to shows by American singer-songwriter Nell Bryden, folk duo Steve Tilston and Jez Lowe, and The Shee.

The Courthouse has a host of dramatic and comic attractions on the horizon too, including - for family audiences - Box Tale Soup Theatre company with their production of Little Grimm Tales. And movie fans who are also fond of their fish and chips can combine the two when the venue holds its Fizz, Film and Fish ‘n’ Chips screening of Disney’s new version of The Lion King during the May school half-term break.

Looking ahead to further attractions, a Courthouse spokeswoman said: “Keeping up our tradition of bringing diverse theatre to the Courthouse, this season we welcome Certain Curtain Theatre with their one-woman show Woman on Fire, which tells the story of unsung suffragette Edith Rigby.

“We will also welcome Unsung Collective with their performance Unsung, which explores the untold stories of four pioneering and inspiration female figures.

“And if that wasn’t enough, we also have some of the best comedians around including BBC Radio 4 regulars Lucy Porter, Paul Sinha, Shappi Khosandi and Jo Caulfield.

Our live and recorded screening programme goes from strength to strength too, and includes National Theatre Live’s production of Cyrano de Bergerac, starring James McAvoy, and The Welkin, featuring Maxine Peak.

“We will also have recorded screenings of Kinky Boots, the musical and Rigoletto from the spectacular shore of Lake Constance.”

Tickets are on sale now for all of the events and can be booked by calling the box office on (01943) 467466 or visiting www.otleycourthouse.org.uk.