MARTYN Knight has to be a quick mover.

This director, choreographer and former professional dancer is not only directing York Light Opera Company for the first time but this year he has engagements in Darlington, Grimsby, Redcar, Portsmouth, Swansea and two in Bournemouth.

"I know all the motorways now," says 47-year-old Martyn, who seldom sees his Watford home. "At the moment my diary reads York, Swansea, back up to York, then Bournemouth, and I've just done dame in Dick Whittington in Eastbourne," Martyn says.

Following in the footsteps of the long-serving Bev Jones, Martyn makes his York Light debut at the helm of Cole Porter's screwball musical comedy, Anything Goes, at York Theatre Royal from February 8 to 19. In doing so, he returns to the theatre where he played Ephraim in the celebrated 1984 production of Seven Brides For Seven Brothers.

Martyn will be bringing fresh blood to York Light, not least introducing two new principals, Darren Tong and Grace Bird, left."When you come to a new society, you don't know who has played leads, so you judge everyone on merit," he says. "The company needs new challenges, new goals."

Will York feature again in his diary? "The proof of the pudding will be in the eating. You have no god-given right to do the next show, but I must be doing something right as I have bookings for shows up to 2007!"

For tickets, ring 01904 623568.

Updated: 15:39 Thursday, February 03, 2005