THE Georgian Theatre Royal has two outstanding shows as part of the new spring season.

The award-winning Call Mr Robeson, which received a standing ovation at New York’s Carnegie Hall and ran with great acclaim in London’s West End, will be staged in Richmond on Saturday, March 28, as part of a UK tour.

It depicts the rollercoaster life of Paul Robeson (1898-1976), the great and famous actor, singer and civil rights campaigner.

When he became too radical and outspoken for the establishment’s liking, he was branded a traitor to his country, and was harassed and denied opportunities to perform or travel.

Written and performed by Liverpool-based playwright Tayo Aluko, with piano accompaniment by Leeds pianist Nicki Allan, it highlights Robeson’s pioneering and heroic political activism as well as his music.

The play features O’l Man River and other famous songs, fiery oratory and a defiant testimony to the Senate House Un-American Activities Committee.

It was chosen by The Guardian theatre critic Michael Billington as his top pick for things to see in London in January 2011 and last autumn had a four-week residency at the Tristan Bates Theatre in Covent Garden, where BBC Radio 4's Loose Ends presenter Clive Anderson saw it and later described it as one of the most memorable plays he had seen.

The tour has seen sell-outs at several theatres, including the Lowry Studio, Belgrade Coventry, Manchester's Royal Exchange Theatre, The Bolton Octagon and Liverpool's Everyman Theatre. All 17 performances of his recent tour of New Zealand and Australia also sold out.

Its awards include Best Musical Performance at the Atlantic Fringe in Halifax, Nova Scotia; Best Solo Show at the Stratford-upon-Avon Fringe and the Argus Angel Award for Artistic Excellence and the Best Male Performer Award at the Brighton Fringe.

Aluko said: “Paul Robeson remains known as one of the greatest entertainers of the 20th century, but the other side of his life, his activism, proves time and again to be very fascinating to audiences worldwide and very relevant today.”

Tickets cost from £7-£20 at the box office on 01748 825252 or online at georgiantheatreroyal.co.uk.

On Thursday, April 9, the Vienna Festival Ballet celebrates its 35th anniversary with a gala performance at the Georgian Theatre Royal, at 7.30pm.

There will be highlights from Tchaikovsky ballets, including the Rose Adagio and Bluebird pas de deux from Sleeping Beauty, as well as Clara’s journey to the glittering land of snow in The Nutcracker.

Gershwin’s ground-breaking Rhapsody in Blue will feature, plus the lakeside scene from Swan Lake, including the Dance of the Cygnets, which opens the second act. The successful Hip Hop scene from Vienna Festival Ballet’s Snow White appears as does the Dance of the Mirlitons and the Trepak Dance from The Nutcracker. The show ends with the Corn pas de deux from Coppélia and before a spectacular finale.

Company founder and artistic director, Peter Mallek, said: "A lot of the bigger companies cannot perform in smaller venues. We have tailored our productions so that we are able to adjust the ballet to fit all different sizes of stage."

Mallek trained as a dancer in his native city of Vienna and aged 14 joined the corps de ballet of the Vienna State Opera. Within three years he was dancing all the leading parts and some principal roles.

He has danced with all the major companies of the world, including American Ballet Theater, Australian Ballet, Dutch National Ballet, London Festival Ballet and Scottish Ballet. Tickets cost from £10-£25.