Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible”, directed by Jordan Best, is well-calculated to provide meaty roles for REP’s actor-members, while Patrick Hamilton’s Victorian thriller “Gaslight”, to be staged by barb barnett, promises a nerve-wracking night out. It’s a stage favourite, perhaps more famous from George Cukor’s film that starred Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer.

In recent years, Rep has made a point of introducing “first-time” (to REP, that is) directors, Best and barnett among them.

This year’s choice is no novice in the wider Canberra scene – Jarrad West – who will stage “Casanova”, adapted from Russell T Davies’ BBC series by Mark Kilmurry. One critic has described it as “’Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf’s’ George and Martha crossed with the Brit sitcom ‘George and Mildred’”.

“Much Ado about Nothing”, Rep’s Shakespearean offering for 2015, will be done by regular Rep director, Cate Clelland.

Of course there’s a farce, this time round Marc Camoletti’s “Don’t Dress for Dinner”, for which one of Rep’s favourite former members, Canadian director Walter Learning, will return to Australia.

Another favourite Rep visitor, Aarne Neeme, will be back to finish off the year with “The Threepenny Opera”, not seen on our main stages since the late David Branson staged it with Chrissie Shaw playing Mrs Peachum. It’s a justly famous play, with the opening song, Brecht/Weill’s “Mack the Knife” one of the most-sung numbers in the world.

Canberra Rep Season 2015-16, eight different packages available, bookings to 6257 1950 or canberrarep.org.au