ACCLAIMED stand-up comedian, actor and writer Stewart Francis returns to The Alban Arena next Thursday, September 13, with his show Outstanding In His Field which sold out last May.

The star of Mock The Week, Michael McIntyre’s Roadshow and Live At The Apollo comes to St Albans after a very successful run this year at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival where he won Dave’s fifth annual best one line joke award.

Stewart has established himself as one the best stand-ups performing on television and touring some of the country’s largest venues throughout 2010. He has performed all over the world from the US to Kilkenny and Aspen to South Africa.

The show gets underway at 7.30pm and tickets are �17.50, available from the Arena box office on 01727 844488 or online at www.alban-arena.co.uk

Cirque Du Ciel are also making a return visit to the Alban Arena when they put on two performances of ShangHi at 2pm and 6pm next Sunday, September 16.

Featuring more than 30 performers, the two-hour extravaganza combines acrobatics, modern dance, martial arts, original music and many other traditional and modern Chinese elements.

The routines include Mexican hat juggling, aerial silks, and the death-defying Chinese Monkey Poles, all built into a storyline.

Tickets are �23.50 for the evening performance, �21 for the matinee and �68 for a family ticket.

n Flowers of War, inspired by true life events, is being shown at 7.30pm next Tuesday, September 11, at the Arena.

Set in 1937 China during the second Sino-Japanese war, mortician, John (Christian Bale) arrives at a Catholic church in Nanjing to prepare a priest for burial.

Upon arrival he finds himself the lone adult among a group of convent girl students and prostitutes from a nearby brothel. When he finds himself in the unwanted position of protector of both groups from the horrors of the invading Japanese army, he discovers the meaning of sacrifice and honour.

Marcel Carn�’s literary romance Les Enfants Du Paradis is being screened at 1.30pm and 7.30pm on Wednesday, September 12. The 1945 tragic tale centres on the ill-fated love between Baptiste, a theatre mime, and Claire Reine, an actress and otherwise woman-about-town who calls herself Garance.

The story is further complicated by three other men who also tussle for the affections of Garance.

From the creators of Despicable Me, family animation Dr Seuss’s The Lorax is being shown at the Arena at 11am and 2pm next Saturday, September 15.

In the walled city of Thneed-Ville, 12-year-old Ted searches for the one thing that will enable him to win the affection of the girl of his dreams. To find it he must discover the story of the Lorax, the grumpy yet charming creature who fights to protect his world.

Tickets for film matinees are �5 and for evenings �7 with concessions �5.