An all star cast

STAR TREK'S Patrick Stewart returns to the stage to star in Ibsen's haunting drama The Master Builder at the Theatre Royal Bath from Monday.

Starring alongside Patrick, in an all star cast is Sue Johnston, best known for her television roles as Sheila Grant in Brookside and Barbara Royle in The Royle Family.

Directed by Anthony Page, in a new translation by Gladiator screenplay writer John Logan, The Master Builder tells the story of Halvard Solness (Patrick Stewart), a brilliantly successful architect at the height of his profession, who has created a reputation and career for himself at the expense of his wife and family.

Solness lives in fear that a new generation of architects will take over and cast him aside, not least his talented assistant Ragnar (Andrew Scarborough).

His relationship with his wife Aline (Sue Johnston), has become distant and strained after a series of tragic events: a fire which destroyed their home, and the death of their baby twin sons.

When the young and beautiful Hilde Wangel (Lisa Dillon) re-enters his world to remind him of a promise made 10 years ago, she offers Solness new hope, inspiring him to build castles in the air with tragic consequences.

Ibsen's compelling story of betrayal, pride and sexual passion and the disintegration of love is as fascinating today as it was in 1892 when it was first written.

This is an opportunity to see one of the world's great dramas performed by an exceptional cast.

Patrick Stewart is most famous for his role as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in the universally popular cult television and film series Star Trek.

He attended Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and was a member of the RSC for 25 years.

As well as a distinguished career at the RSC Patrick played numerous leading roles at the National Theatre and received an Olivier Award for Shylock.

Patrick last performed on the British stage in 2001 in the West Yorkshire Playhouse's revival of JB Priestley's Johnson Over Jordan and on the London stage in 1993 at the Old Vic in A Christmas Carol, for which he received two Olivier Awards and a Grammy nomination.

He also received the award for Best Solo Act on Broadway in 1992 and appeared in New York's Central Park in 1995 in a huge free production of The Tempest.

Other television roles include Hamlet; I Claudius; Smiley's People; Tinker, Taylor Soldier, Spy; The Canterville Ghost and Captain Ahab in Moby Dick in 1998.

Patrick Stewart's other film roles include Death Train with Pierce Brosnan.

In 1996 he produced the TV movie The Canterville Ghost with himself as Simon de Canterville.

He recently starred in X-Men and can currently be seen reprising his role as Professor Xavier in the blockbuster film X-Men 2.

Sue Johnston first came to the attention of the British public when she joined Brookside in 1982 as Sheila Grant.

Today her face is probably most familiar as the chain-smoking Barbara Royle in The Royle Family, for which she has won two British Comedy Awards.

Her recent theatre work includes playing the Virgin Mary in The Mysteries at the National Theatre.

Sue's other television credits include Mrs Betts in two series of My Uncle Silas and four series of Medics.

Her film work includes Brassed Off with Pete Postlethwaite and Ewan McGregor.