Canberrans will be able to enjoy the last days of summer with an "outdoorsy" theatre-going experience when the Famous Spiegeltent returns to the capital in February.
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For the first time the hand-hewn travelling 'tent of mirrors' will be set up at Civic Square for circus-cabaret show La Clique to begin the Canberra Theatre Centre's packed season.
Programming manager Gill Hugonnet said the 18-show season, launched on Monday night, was designed to give a taste of what was happening nationally.
The "diverse offering" was based on attendance history on the back of record-breaking ticket sales in 2014/15.
"That's why there's always a strong amount of drama because that seems to be something people want to see," she said.
"[But] sometimes it surprises you what the popular shows are… some things may only attract a small number of people, but that is no less successful because some of the work is magnificent."
Although the Canberra Theatre Centre does not produce its own shows from scratch, Ms Hugonnet said Canberra was fortunate to have some of the nation's best production companies returning with shows in 2016 including the Bell Shakespeare Company, Sydney Theatre Company and Sydney Dance Company.
Ms Hugonnet said the Spiegeltent and its main show La Clique would appeal to a broader audience beyond the typical 45-years-plus theatre-goer.
"It's a fantastic time of year to have something outdoorsy," she said.
"There will be a bar outside and they'll set up a garden… it will be a lovely atmospheric place to hang out for those weeks."
The Spiegeltent was last in Canberra for centenary celebrations in 2013 at the Senate Rose Garden at Old Parliament House.
"People go because it's more than seeing a show, it's about the atmosphere and soaking up the vibe of the tent and something that has a lot of history," Ms Hugonnet said.
"It's also quite a European experience compared to the theatres we traditionally know."
In the 400th year since Shakespeare's death, Bell Shakespeare will bring two of the bard's classics to Canberra, Romeo and Juliet and Othello.
Other highlights will be "gripping drama" and Pulitzer Prize-winning play Disgraced about one man's struggle with his religion, Ms Hugonnet said, in a season filled with great writing.
A contemporary version of Emily Bronte's classic Wuthering Heights, Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie, and playwright Andrew Bovell's new play Things I Know to Be True will round out the strong selection of drama.
Alana Valentine's new work Letters to Lindy will flesh out the public's response to Lindy Chamberlain based on her 20,000 letters housed at the National Library of Australia, while artist William Yang will share his personal journey of Chinese migration in Blood Links which will coincide with an exhibition at the Canberra Museum and Gallery.
Audience favourite The Wharf Revue will return and music lovers will enjoy Little Shop of Horrors from the team behind Sweet Charity, Opera Australia's The Marriage of Figaro and Country Song, inspired by the life of Jimmy Little.
In dance, Bangarra will return with OUR land people stories, Sydney Dance Company brings CounterMove and the Queensland Ballet will end the year The Nutcracker.
For families the theatre will stage The Peasant Prince, an adaption of Mao's Last Dancer, and May Gibbs' classic Snugglepot & Cuddlepie.
Ms Hugonnet said despite competing entertainment options people still enjoyed the thrill of seeing live performance.
"As we look away from mass-produced things… we're looking for unique experiences and that's what you get when you come to the theatre," she said.
"This is flesh and blood… it's quite powerful when you feel emotion on a large scale in a theatre or auditorium… it's bouncing between the audience and actors on stage and that's not happening on screen."
For more information visit: canberratheatrecentre.com.au.
