THEY are probably the last people you'd expect to turn up to a Nottingham theatre season launch. But there they were, by the entrance to the auditorium, John and Edward Grimes, aka Jedward.

At least, a cardboard cut-out of them.

But still... The X Factor twins aren't about to appear in a new production of A Comedy of Errors, their presence is down to an advertising deal with East Midlands Trains, sponsors of the new season.

Theatre chief executive Stephanie Sirr runs through all their sponsors as the opening gambit for this event, designed to let the media and regulars know what to expect from September until the end of the year.

It's necessary for her to do that, it's just not very interesting for the few hundred who have turned out.

Although the idea that Ikea is sponsoring the refurbishment of the upstairs theatre makes one wonder if it'll end up looking like the lounge of a first-time buyer. There's even a mention of Hello! magazine – something to do with another sponsor, Hoofers.

Talking of interesting, it's how she describes the effect of the economic downturn on Playhouse business. "We don't say difficult times here," she grins, adding a thank you to us for showing our support.

BBC Radio Nottingham's John Holmes interviews artistic director Giles Croft, cast members of forthcoming productions – one of whom describes everyone she's ever worked with as "fantastic" and/or "amazing" – and introduces local folk singer songwriter Andy Whittle, who bookends the hour-long launch with a song.

As John Holmes tells us, there is a theme to the new season: women and mistaken identity.

There's the lost Shakespeare play Double Falsehood, one woman comedy Fakebook, Twelfth Night set in Brazil, She Stoops To Conquer, the panto Mother Goose, David Hare's Amy's View, the returning sweary comedy Forever Young, plus children's theatre, stand-up from Greg Davies, Ardal O'Hanlon and Chris Addison, a season of folk gigs and dance, including the award-winning Alvin Ailey company. The season opens in September with Oliver Goldsmith's 18th-century bawdy English comedy, She Stoops To Conquer.

"It's the most wonderful, warm, loving romp and it's fun to do," says actress Joan Moon, who has appeared in past productions Lockerbie and Blithe Spirit.

There's mistaken identity in Shakespeare's comedy Twelfth Night, as the young heroine adopts a disguise in order to pursue her heart's desire.

"It's maybe Shakespeare's greatest comedy because it has a dark side," says Brean Hammond, Professor of English Studies at the University of Nottingham. "It's very funny but it has that tinge of melancholy."

Adds Giles Croft: "In many ways it's a composite of the best bits of many of his other plays."

There are audible gasps when he reveals it is to be set in 1940s Brazil. "Why? Because it's a bloody good idea," he laughs, adding that the director had already tested it out.

"The reaction to it was fantastic. I think it'll be a wonderful, exuberant and surprising production."

Prof Brean will be on the panel discussing Double Falsehood during the Lost Shakespeare Day on Monday, October 11, which will also include the first public presentation since he identified it as Shakespeare's work.

In Amy's View, a star of the London stage, Esme Allen, suffers a series of crushing blows – personal, professional and financial – over a period of 16 years. Her daughter Amy takes the view that love conquers all, but Esme has grave doubts about Amy's future husband Dominic, a rising cultural pundit who thinks all that Esme stands for is outmoded and elitist.

David Hare's family drama is set in the 1980s but its addressing of the relevance of art in a society troubled by a poor economy, is, says Giles Croft, relevant again.

"At the time in which it was written, around 1997, that debate was very important but then over the last ten or fifteen years it subsided. But it's coming back. We're all going to be talking about the value of art and certainly the value of theatre."

Another contemporary issue is touched upon in Fakebook, the one-woman show by Nottingham's Michelle Vacciana about a mother who becomes consumed by the social networking website Facebook.

"It's funny and inciteful," offers Croft.

Another local writer to have his work performed during the season is Michael Pinchbeck and his play The Ashes, about the Notts cricketer Harold Larwood and the Bodyline controversy.

Kenneth Alan Taylor returns for his 27th consecutive pantomime, Mother Goose, as its writer and director.

Says Croft: "It's funny because when Kenneth first proposed doing a pantomime here there was a lot of resistance."

Playhouse regular John Elkington will be in the title role.

"It's a good one to do because she's never off stage," he says, before adding with a grin: "Except for the dance routines."

Rebecca Little will play the Golden Fairy. Both she and Elkington will also appear in the returning musical comedy Forever Young next year. It's set in the Nottingham Playhouse of the future, which has been turned into a retirement home for its former stars. Familiar faces from the theatre's plays and pantomimes play outrageously decrepit versions of themselves.

Songs include Respect, I Love Rock 'n' Roll and I Will Survive.

"It's a fantastic piece to be involved in but it's easier to do than to talk about," says Stefan Bednarczyk, who proves his point by accompanying his co-stars for a rendition of Barbie Girl.

From Jedward to Barbie Girl? These certainly are interesting – if a little strange – times for the Nottingham Playhouse

For more information visit www.nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk or call 0115 941 9419.