A staging of Waiting for Godot starring two of Scotland's finest actors, Brian Cox and Bill Paterson, is to be part of a celebratory season at one of Scotland's leading theatres.

The Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh has announced details of its 50th anniversary season which has mix of new writing, contemporary and modern classics, literary adaptations, and four world premieres.

The classic work of 20th cenutry theatre by Samuel Beckett will be directed by Mark Thomson, artistic director of The Lyceum.

The season also includes a world premiere of a new stage adaptation of Sarah Waters' novel, Tipping The Velvet.

This is The Lyceum's first co-production with The Lyric, Hammersmith where the play will have a five week run before Edinburgh.

The season ends with another world premiere, a new stage play by Scots Makar Liz Lochhead: Thon Man Molière (or Whit got him intae aw that bother...).

It tells the story of the life and times of her hero, the writer Molière, and the creation of his infamous and celebrated satire Tartuffe.

Cox said of his show: "It's great, not to say a miracle to be returning to The Lyceum for the 50th anniversary.

"I was a founding member of the company 50 years ago as a wet behind the ears 19-year-old.

"The Lyceum was and still remains the most formative experience of my theatrical life.

"To be afforded the opportunity to observe and work with the greatest Scottish actors of their day. A formidable roll call that included; Duncan Macrae, Fulton MacKay, Russell Hunter, Una Maclean, Calum Mill, Eileen McCallum all led by the visionary ahead-of-his-time Tom Fleming.

"It introduced me to the tremendous heritage of world class theatre practitioners that is unique to Scottish theatre.

This anniversary production of 'Waiting for Godot' very much continues that tradition with a tremendous cast and the great Bill Paterson."

Paterson added: " Unlike Brian I wasn't actually in that first 1965 production of 'A Servant o' 'Twa Maisters' but at least I saw a matinee on a day return from Glasgow! So, fifty years later, I'm honoured and delighted to share The Lyceum stage with him in the timeless masterpiece of 'Waiting for Godot.'"

Mark Thomson said: "It's particularly exciting to launch with original company member Brian Cox alongside Bill Paterson in Waiting For Godot.

"Two great Scots to start the season and to celebrate a great Scottish theatre company that is confident, proud of its past but with contemporary theatre adventure keeping it youthful and vigorous.

"On our stage this season we have gods, kings, war, songs, love, murder, revenge, forgiveness, sex, faith, betrayals, enlightenment, characters who don't turn up and others who wish they hadn't. Each play holds the world in all its inexplicableness up to the light."

Laura Wade will bring Sarah Waters' bestselling novel to the stage for the first time in an adaptation directed by Lyndsey Turner.

Ms Waters said: "I am absolutely thrilled that Tipping the Velvet is to be brought to life on the stage of The Lyric, Hammersmith.

"I can think of no better setting for the play than the lush Lyric interior or the beautiful Lyceum in Edinburgh, and no more exciting creative talents than those of writer Laura Wade and director Lyndsey Turner.

"The production promises to be full of energy, fun and music-hall sparkle - in other words, everything I could wish for. I am simply delighted."

The Christmas show will be a version of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis.

Dramatised by Theresa Heskins, the show will be directed by Andrew Panton (A Christmas Carol, The BFG) and designed by Becky Minto.

2016 will begin with The Weir by Conor McPherson.

The play set in a rural Irish pub was written in 1997 and won The Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play.

John Dove will return to the Lyceum to direct one of Arthur Miller's The Crucible.

The director said: "It will be a privilege to direct this great play of Arthur Miller's for Mark Thomson at The Lyceum. The Edinburgh audience seems to have a peerless rapport with the writer, and to many this is his greatest play."

The Lyceum will be working with the National Theatre of Scotland and Told by an Idiot on the world premiere of I Am Thomas - "A brutal comedy with songs."

The second play of the season to be directed by Lyceum Artistic Director Mark Thomson is a world premiere of the classical Greek epic The Iliad in a new version by Chris Hannan.

Lochhead's play will be directed by Lyceum Associate Artist Tony Cownie, who has previously directed Liz's plays Mary Queen of Scots Got Her Head Chopped Off and Educating Agnes at The Lyceum.

Lochhead said: "I am absolutely delighted that, exactly thirty years after The Lyceum first put on my very Scottish version of Molière's great French comedy in rhyming couplets, Tartuffe, my new play all about its author and his monstrous and irresistible creation, which really landed him in it, will premiere as part of this theatre's 50th Anniversary Season."