MORE often than not the Brewery has something cutting edge up its theatrical sleeve.

Indeed, each and every season it aims to raise its game.

The programme for the Brewery's exciting new autumn season opens this week and centre stage from Thursday (September 13), will be award-winning theatre company Paines Plough.

However, instead of performing under the Brewery roof, PP will be pitching its Roundabout tent on Moss Parrock in the heart of Grasmere village for four days of entertainment as part of a special festival staged by the Brewery as it spread its cultural wings outwards from the Kendal arts centre.

Roundabout is a self-contained, 168-seat auditorium, which tours our green and pleasant land showcasing the work of Paines Plough, described by some as the UK's "national theatre" of new writing. During August, PP was based at Edinburgh’s prestigious Summerhall venue for the Fringe Festival where it earned rave reviews and sell-out audiences for the shows that will be featured at Grasmere, including Sticks and Stones (September 13 and 15, 7pm; September 16, 5pm), a razor-sharp satire about a middle-manager's meltdown after she makes an inappropriate joke in a team meeting, written by BAFTA nominated Vinay Patel.

Island Town (September 14, 7.30pm and September 16, 3pm), a play about a group of friends trapped in a dead-end town from award-winning writer Simon Longman

And How to Spot an Alien (September 14 schools show, 1.30pm; September 15, 1pm), a fun children's show about a brother and sister who suspect their Aunt Leina is hiding something extraterrestrial.

In addition to the Paines Plough shows, there will also be performances in the state-of-the-art pop-up theatre dome from comedian Justin Moorhouse on Thursday, September 13 at 9pm. The popular TV comic and star of Peter Kay’s Phoenix Nights will perform his new show Northern Joker.

Also, Britain’s funniest housewife, Barbara Nice, leads a comedy ramble around Grasmere before a special stand up show in the Roundabout theatre on September 14 (5.30pm and 9.15pm) and Manchester's award-winning performance poet Fat Roland performs his brand new show on September 15 (3pm).

The tent on Grasmere village green will also host Drip, from Boundless Theatre and Script Club on September 15 (5pm), a one-man musical comedy about a boy who joins a synchronised swimming club to help his best friend, despite not being able to swim. Plus, later at 9pm, Whiskey Moon Face, an alternative folk band who combine Eastern European folk, klezmer and New Orleans jazz into an original and entertaining sound.

The Roundabout auditorium is also a flexible space in which to hold other events and is apparently being made available for schools and community groups to use for their own events, such as meetings and rehearsals.

The festival is another enterprising and innovative step outside the Brewery's own four walls.

Brewery chief executive Richard Foster said that they took Roundabout to Grasmere for the first time last year after two years in Kendal, as part of the Brewery's commitment to programme more cultural events in the Lake District. "We are looking forward to building on the positive response we got from businesses, local people and visitors in 2018 and attract even bigger audiences to the shows."

Excited to be back within the Brewery programme, Paines Plough director Stef O’Driscoll said that it was an incredible honour to be taking the best of the best in new writing around the UK to areas that new plays wouldn’t normally be able to reach. "To develop and engage new audiences we need to take stories to people in their communities on their doorsteps.

"I am hyped to be working with such an incredible team, including some of the nation’s greatest playwrights. The plays are joyous, funny and heart breaking. I can’t wait to share these beautiful stories and see how audiences in Grasmere vibe with them."

Roundabout will take place on the village green opposite Heaton Cooper Studio, on Broadgate, Grasmere.

For further information or to book tickets go online at www.breweryarts.co.uk or telephone the Brewery box office on 01539-725133. Tickets will also be available from Sam Read’s Bookshop at Grasmere during the festival.