THERE’S a bright and breezy feel to this summer’s Eastgate Theatre programme announced this week – with music, dance and drama arriving from the far corners of the world; and home-grown activities spilling out of the theatre into the open air.

International visitors include a clutch of American bands with intriguing names: Lindsay Lou and the Flatbellys, Betty and the Boy, as well as Sheesham and Lotus & Son – who made such an impression with their brilliant music and weird and wonderful instruments last year. As well as fiddles and banjos this band will introduce the contrabass harmoniphonium and the mono-phone acoustical filter.

Canada provides the setting for Stellar Quines’ production of The Deliverance, which completes the powerful trilogy of plays by Jennifer Tremblay that began with The List and The Carousel. Starring Maureen Beattie in the role of the woman The Deliverance sees her struggling to fulfil her dying mother’s wish to see the son torn from her at a young age. She goes in search of the boy, will her journey end in redemption? This will be the first chance to see the new play before it goes up to Edinburgh for the Festival Fringe. From a new play to the revival of a multi award-winning classic. Mull Theatre presents the hilarious, delightful Stones in his Pockets. An Irish community in County Kerry is invaded by Hollywood and the contrast between the film-makers romanticised view of Ireland and the reality of daily life couldn’t be sharper.

Meanwhile, Mutxiko Elkartea, a colourful troupe of musicians and dancers from Hendaye in France are Stepping Out, Basque Style at the heart of the Peebles Arts Festival. Three other Arts Festival events at the Eastgate are the Music in Peebles concert by the phenomenal pianist Young-Choon Park playing music by Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn and Schubert and an evening talk by Lord Smith of Kelvin presented by Tweeddale Society. Shakespeare at Traquair celebrates its 20th birthday by presenting Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead.

Closer to home, three screenings from the National Theatre include the live transmission of Oscar nominated Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave) in Everyman which has been rewritten by Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy. The new season of screenings from Covent Garden takes in five ballets (including Romeo and Juliet and Frankenstein) and five operas (including Boris Gudunov and Le Nozze di Figaro).

The Eastgate in Peebles also has a great mix of energetic and exciting activities to keep youngsters and adults occupied during the summer holidays with Engage courses ranging from painting and dancing, to free running and kite flying, both indoors and out (weather permitting!).

Summer season brochures are available from the Eastgate Theatre. www.eastgatearts.com Or pop http://issuu.com/eastgatearts/docs/eastgate_summer_2015 into your browser to check it out online.