The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) has agreed a five-year deal with Sir Cameron Mackintosh to present its London season in three of his Delfont-Mackintosh owned theatres in the West End.

The deal ensures that the RSC, which left its last permanent base in the capital – The Barbican – nearly four years ago will be able to run a season in London every year for the next five years at either the newly-renamed Novello Theatre, formerly The Strand, The Albery or The Gielgud.

In July 2004, it was reported that the RSC – which receives more than £12m of public funding each year – could have found a new London home following talks with the Ambassador’s Group, but nothing more was announced.

During the 2004-5 season, the company saw its Tragedies programme of plays exceed box office targets by over 30 per cent, earning more than £1.6m, with productions at 87 per cent of capacity.

This year’s RSC Comedies season at The Novello will include Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, As You Like It and The Comedy of Errors.

The company also plans to build a large auditorium in Stratford, to be completed by 2010.

RSC executive director Vikki Heywood said: “The deal secures our future in London while we continue to search for a long-term home in the capital.” Details: www.rsc.org.uk