TEN years of Lighthouse, Poole is celebrated in a birthday autumn season packed with everything from high-quality drama and breathtaking circus to side-splitting comedy and a vintage series of concerts covering nearly a century of music. The venue, which re-opened in 2002 following extensive refurbishment, will be opening its doors on Sunday October 14 for a family circus fun day with free tours, workshops and performances.

Kicking off a contemporary circus season is international acrobatics from Pirates of the Carabina presenting Flown on September 29 and 30. There will also be two different shows on consecutive nights from Britain’s top juggling company Gandini Juggling, who will be performing Smashed, a sensational mix of skill and theatricality, on October 19, followed by Motet on October 20, which sees five of Europe’s top jugglers present a hypnotic and breathtaking tour through the history and art of juggling.

Comedy highlights of the season include the return of the ever-popular Jimmy Carr in September, plus Paul Tonkinson, Sandi Toksvig, Jason Bryne, Marcus Brigstocke and Steve Hughes. The theatre programme begins with Three Men In A Boat in October, followed by The Haunting, Duet For One and Murder On The Nile.

Families and children are certainly well catered for with a superb selection of shows including the hugely popular Horrible Histories with Terrible Tudors and Vile Victorians in November, as well as Grisly Tales From Tumblewater, The Three Pigs, Hullaba Lulu, The Mysterious Vanishment Of Pobby And Dingan and Little Howard’s Big Show, based on the acclaimed kids BBC comedy show.

2012 culminates with two festive shows. Ray Quinn, star of X Factor, Dancing On Ice and West End musicals, will be taking the lead in Lighthouse’s third “homegrown” panto Aladdin, starring alongside Don Maclean and Tim Flavin, while the London interactive smash-hit production Snow Play, will bring plenty of festive magic for the really little ones.