THE machinations of our leaders – party political or regal – are at play at Bath Theatre Royal this month, with a visit by the Barn Theatre’s hilarious new Yes, Prime Minister, from Tuesday 6th to Saturday 10th October, followed by a return for the acclaimed Jonathan Church production of A Man for All Seasons, the dark drama of Henry VIII and Sir Thomas More, from Tuesday 13th to Saturday 17th.

In the middle of party conference season there couldn’t be a more appropriate time for Bath audiences to revisit the BBC’s original satirical comedy, sharply updated for today’s ever-changing political landscape, with Jay Villiers as Jim Hacker and Clive Hayward as Sir Humphrey Appleby. The cast also includes William Owen, Ruth Gibson, Maurey Richards and Mark Stratton.

Packed with verbal sparring, tour-de-force bureaucratese and laugh-out-loud logic, the play, which was first staged at Chichester Festival Theatre in 2010, now includes special advisors (SPADs), as well as the ever-present issues of financial crises, Europe, corruption …

It’s a tense weekend at Chequers. New Prime Minister Jim Hacker is facing a collapsing economy, party infighting, a hostile media – and Sir Humphrey. With a high stakes loan on the table and a Civil Service he’s not sure he can trust, Jim must save his premiership, and the economy, while outmanoeuvring his rivals and reasserting democratic control.

For a review of this sparkling Barn Theatre production, which we heartily recommend, see the Reviews section.

The following week, brings Martin Shaw back to Bath, reprising his powerful performance as Sir Thomas More. Two of the greatest, most powerful and dangerous figures who shaped the country that we live in today are brought vividly to life in Robert Bolt’s award-winning play A Man For All Seasons.

When King Henry (Orlando James) demands a divorce from Catherine of Aragon, clearing the way to marry Anne Boleyn, the staunchly Catholic Thomas is forced to choose between his loyalty and his own conscience, committing an incredible act of defiance for which he eventually pays the ultimate price…

The cast is completed by Paul Kemp as The Common Man, Peter Losasso as Richard Rich, Chris Larkin as Norfolk, Polly Kemp as Alice More, Grace Molony as Margaret More, Nicholas Day as Cardinal Wolsey, Sam Phillips as Thomas Cromwell, Asif Kahn as Signor Chapuys, Hari Kang as Attendant to Signor Chapuys, Huw Brentnall as William Roper, Hilary Tones as Woman, Sam Parks as Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, with Xavier Starr, Adela Hernandez Derbyshire and Mark Kitto.