The line-up at Northern Stage this autumn and winter is guaranteed to warm even the chilliest of cockles. From comedy to theatre to some real Christmas crackers, they’ve got it going on.

As the nights draw in, Northern Stage is firing up a vibrant mix of heavy-hitting classics, sharp contemporary drama, and festive magic galore. They’re also bringing us bags of laughs too with stand-up sets from some of the UK’s finest. These include the likes of Daniel Kitson (4 October) and Harriet Kemsley (11 November), but among the acts I’m particularly looking forward to checking out is Rosie Holt who is bringing her ‘The Illegal Aliens Have Landed!’ show our way (17 October). A sci-fi streaked satire, this sees Rosie and her MP alter-ego facing up to a far bigger problem of “stopping the boats” when UFOs arrive. Another must-see show in my eyes is from Flat & The Curves in the shape of ‘Ros

é Tinted’ (5 November). This trio have been described as “the most dynamic group to hit the comedy circuit in 40 years” and you’ll not find too many arguments from me on that. Their original songs are straight out of the top drawer, and invariably go big on harmonies and filthy laughs. Flat & The Curves have bagged plenty of awards as has Sooz Kempner whose latest show is ‘Imposter’ (5 December). It’s a stand-up show about finding your voice, silencing trolls, and Princess Diana. Another stand-up bringing her latest show northwards is Fatiha El-Ghorri, to wit: ‘Cockney Stacking Doll’ (17 December). The break-out star of ‘Taskmaster’ and ‘Mr Bigstuff’, El-Ghorri has been smashing stereotypes nationwide, and we can expect strong language along with plenty of raunch and side-splitting laughs. More funny stuff? Jack Rooke will be in town with his Good Grief show (1 October). The writer of C4’s ‘Big Boys’, he’ll be musing on grief, ambition, and being a class traitor. And don’t miss ‘Drag Race’ superstar Ginger Johnson with her whip-smart Show Pony extravaganza (17 October). Northern Stage also has plenty of theatrical treats coming our way including Fringe favourite An Evening Without Kate Bush (2 October) and Black Is The Colour Of My Voice which is inspired by the life of Nina Simone (6 & 7 October). I love the sound of It’s A Wonderful Us (17 October). This sees Andrew & Ginger trapped in the faded glamour of a never-ending variety show, and blends the warm, chaotic humour of a double act with the magic of Frank Capra’s much-loved film. Son Of A Bitch, meanwhile, is a brutally honest and darkly funny monologue from Anna Morris about a woman who is caught on camera calling her four-year-old son a c*nt during an air-rage incident (14 October). In the run up to Halloween you simply must get on board with It Walks Around The House At Night (28-31 October), a chilling new play that is part ghost story and part psychological thriller. The evergreen classic that is Jane Eyre promises thrills of a different sort as Jane gets drawn to the mercurial charms of Mr Rochester (3-7 November). For those looking for a comic and poignant tale of morality and misunderstanding—which also offers a fresh take on the vampire myth—then you should be all over A Play, A Pie And A Pint: Making Way (17-21 November). If poetry is your bag then Hollie McNish & Harry Baker are touring their latest show (8 October), or if you’re into dance then get excited for Windows Of Displacement (8 October). This sees Akeim Toussaint Buck bringing together dance, spoken word and song to explore ideas around oppression—from the Transatlantic Slave Trade to the current exploitation of the Congo. One of the UK’s finest dance troupes balletLORENT are premiering their latest Hansel & Gretel And The Witch which offers a fresh take on the classic tale combing imaginative storytelling with striking visuals (29 October-1 November). The UK’s number one magic show James Phelan: The Man Who Was Magic makes a welcome return with a completely new and uplifting production (18 December), and there is sure to be plenty of magic of a different sort with Northern Stage’s Christmas offerings this year. These include spooky goings on with Christmas Gothic (15 December) and A Christmas Carol (pictured - 22 & 23 December), and big laughs from Your Aunt Fanny who are presenting You’re Not Me Ma (18 & 19 December), a razor-sharp Christmas soap opera special. Northern Stage’s big festive offering this year is The Snow Queen (3 December-2 January). Hans Christian Andersen’s classic fable has been thrillingly reimagined in a spellbinding new production which sees Gerda embarking on an epic adventure in order to rescue her friend and save Christmas. Younger children are also sure to love The Christmas Sorting Office (21 November-2 January). This fabulously fun festive story will be filled with music, silliness and lots of opportunities to join in. So, that’s Northern Stage for the next three months. I think the phrase “something for everyone” is in order here.

Northern Stage, Barras Bridge, Newcastle. Full programme and booking details from northernstage.co.uk