The first ever professional season at the University of Bedfordshire Theatre has attracted a variety of acts.

An eclectic mix of current professional touring work including music, comedy, dance, poetry and theatre has been confirmed.

And Tuesdays will be known as Film Night with invitations currently being extended to directors to open their films.

String trio Pluck, theatre company Rannel and Showstopper! The Improvised Musical are just three of the delights on offer in the early part of the season.

Rannel’s must-see work Flhip Flhop: Everything Happens on the Break puts a fresh twist on hip-hop theatre. Combining witty dialogue and intricate choreography, a crazy pair of decorators take refuge from their dull jobs in hip-hop, MC-ing and beatbox in an energetic and hilarious comedy for all ages on Saturday, 6 February.

Showstopper! The Improvised Musical on the following Wednesday (10 February) is a full length, brand new musical which is created nightly in this award-winning show which is touring the UK for the first time following sell-out London and Edinburgh festival seasons.

With just one evening to create a hit musical and stuck for inspiration, the writer asks for audience suggestions – and the all singing, all dancing cast then create a musical from scratch based around those ideas!

Pluck’s new show is called The Specialists and is family friendly and suitable for all ages on Saturday, 20 February. It features three characters of dubious intelligence – Yarlesberg, Mr Abanathie and Kadifachi – who have formed a string trio, with the intention of performing a special classical music concert.

This eight-week Spring Season 2010 begins in early February and runs through until the end of March.

It is drawing on the expertise of both the Knowledge Hub and the Division of Performing Arts and English at the University.

The University’s Head of Performing Arts and English, Helen Bailey, said: “This is an exciting departure for the University as it will signal the beginning of a new phase in our activity as a significant cultural provider within Bedfordshire and the wider region.

“The theatre team have worked in partnership with the hat Factory in Luton on programming performances and the UBSU will be providing a bar facility for the duration of the season.”

Knowledge Hub Business Development Manager, Sarah Waller, said: “We see it as the University continuing to take the lead in developing the creative economy of Bedfordshire and the region. This is the first of many such seasons at the University of Bedfordshire Theatre.”

Further details are available online at www.beds.ac.uk/thetheatre and all email enquiries can be directed to theatre@beds.ac.uk