Mikron Theatre are getting back on their touring barge for a 51st season with the premiere of Poppy Hollman’s new play Twitchers, and there’s original live music thrown in.
Springwatch is coming to RSPB Shrikewing nature reserve, but as we meet raucous rooks, booming bitterns and plenty of tits we realise the birds of Shrikewing are its real stars. Can Jess take inspiration from the RSPB’s tenacious female founders, and draw on its history of campaigning to save them, or can she find her own voice to raise a rallying cry for nature?
The production’s cast of actor-musicians will set sail on the company’s unique vintage narrowboat taking the show to all sorts of non-traditional venues. This year’s company who all act, sing and even set the stage up are Eddie Ahrens, Hannah Baker, Harvey Badger and Rachel Hammond.
Twitchers is directed by Mikron Theatre Company’s Artistic Director Marianne McNamara, designed by Celia Perkins with music composed by Amal El-Sawad and directed and arranged by Rebekah Hughes
“Twitchers’ is about the RSPB, Europe’s largest conservation charity, and their struggles to protect birds and wildlife since 1889,” says Poppy Hollman. “The play offers a fun swoop into the colourful world of birds and birdwatching. Our feathered friends are the real stars of the show; you’ll see them flirting, bickering and making their own indelible impression on the plot.”
Based in the village of Marsden, at the foot of the Yorkshire Pennines, Mikron have over the last 51 years toured 68 productions on board their narrowboat and spent over 35,000 boating hours on the inland waterways.
They’ve performed a play about growing-your-own on an allotment, another about bees performed next to hives, a play about fish and chips to audiences in a fish and chip restaurant, as well as plays about hostelling performed in YHA Youth hostels and the RNLI performing in several lifeboat stations around the UK. Over the last 51 years the company has performed 5300 times to over 448,000 people.
The new play will be touring alongside the premiere of Amanda Whittington’s new play A Force To Be Reckoned With, which will open in May. Twitchers will premiere at the Marsden Mechanics Hall on 7th April and then tour nationally by canal, river and road until 21st October.
For further information on Twitchers please visit http://mikron.org.uk
Twitchers tour dates (with more to be confirmed)
7th Apr 2023 – 7:00pm, Huddersfield, HD7 6BW
8th Apr 2023 – 7:00pm – The Cluntergate Centre, Wakefield, WF4 5DA
11th Apr 2023 – 7:30pm – The Viaduct Theatre, Halifax, HX3 5AX
12th Apr 2023 – 7:30pm – Bingley Arts Centre, Bingley, BD16 2LZ
13th Apr 2023 – 7:00pm – Meltham Sports & Community Centre – The Complex,
Holmfirth, HD9 5QT
14th Apr 2023 – 7:00pm – The Grove, Pontefract, WF9 3QF
15th Apr 2023 – 12:30pm – Huddersfield Deaf Centre, Huddersfield, HD1 4DN
16th Apr 2023 – 2:00pm – Warsop Parish Centre, Mansfield, NG20 0SN
18th Apr 2023 – 7:00pm – Billingley Village Hall, Barnsley, S72 0JF
19th Apr 2023 – 7:30pm – St Luke’s Parish Centre – in the parish of Our Lady of Hope
Manchester, M6 7WR
17th May 2023 – 6:30pm – Grimesthorpe Allotments -Sheffield, S4 8LE
20th May 2023 – 6:30pm – Stirley Community Farm, Huddersfield, HD4 6RP
21st May 2023 – 2:00pm -Scarcroft Allotments, York, YO23 1NE
30th May 2023 – 7:30pm -Wharf Inn, Welford, NN6 6JQ
1st Jun 2023 – 7:00pm -Victoria Hotel, Nottingham, NG9 1JG
6th Jun 2023 – 7:00pm – Plough Inn, Melton Mowbray, LE14 3AH
8th Jun 2023 – 7:00pm – Snarestone Conery Playing Fields, Snarestone, DE12 7DB
10th Jun 2023 – 1:00pm -Clock Warehouse, Shardlow, DE72 2GL
10th Jun 2023 – 7:30pm – St Peter’s Parish Hall, Market Bosworth, CV13 0LL
15th Jun 2023 – 7:00pm -The Admiral Nelson, Daventry, NN11 7HJ
16th Jun 2023 – 7:00pm – The Canal Museum, Stoke Bruerne, NN12 7SE
21st Jun 2023 – 7:00pm -Lindengate Mental Health Charity, Wendover, HP22 6BD
23rd Jun 2023 – 7:00pm – North Aston Village Green, Bicester, OX25 6HS
24th Jun 2023 – 2:00pm -Framfield Allotments, Hanwell, W7 1ES
25th Jun 2023 – 2:00pm -The Three Cranes Pub Garden, Turvey, MK43 8EP
30th Jun 2023 – 7:30pm Fishery Wharf Café, Hemel Hempstead, HP1 1NA
4th Jul 2023 – 7:00pm – Zapato Brewery, Huddersfield, HD7 6LS
5th Jul 2023 – 7:00pm – Gilroy Community Allotment Site, Wirral, CH48 6DG
7th Jul 2023 – 7:00pm -The Poor Marsh Allotments and Community Garden, Hesketh Bank, PR4 6RD
8th Jul 2023 – 12:00pm – Rockwell Centre, Bradford, BD10 8DP
8th Jul 2023 – 6:30pm – New Mill Community Garden, Huddersfield, HD9 7ER
12th Jul 2023 – 7:00pm -The Bounty, Bourne End, SL8 5RG
14th Jul 2023 – 7:00pm – Eyot Centre, Henley-on-Thames, RG9 3JD
16th Jul 2023 – 2:00pm – Marcy Fields, Oxon, SN7 7QJ
20th Jul 2023 – 7:00pm – Cricklade Bloomers, Cricklade, SN6 6AE
21st Jul 2023 – 7:00pm – Hedgerley Memorial Hall, Hedgerley, SL2 3UU
22nd Jul 2023 – 2:00pm-Rodborough Community Hall, Stroud, GL5 3TZ
23rd Jul 2023 – 1:00pm – Bloomfield Road Allotments, Bath, BA2 2AB
25th Jul 2023 – 7:00pm – The Rowbarge, Reading, RG7 5SH
27th Jul 2023 – 7:00pm – The Cunning Man, Reading, RG30 3RB
29th Jul 2023 – 7:00pm, Goring Lock, Goring, RG8 9AE
30th Jul 2023 – 2:00pm Eynsham Cricket Club, Witney, OX29 4LF
1st Aug 2023 – 7:00pm, The Plough Inn, Long Wittenham, OX14 4QH
3rd Aug 2023 – 7:00pm, Boat Inn, Kidlington, OX5 1JY
8th Aug 2023 – 7:00pm, Wharf House, Oxfordshire, OX17 1PG
18th Aug 2023 – 7:00pm – The Mill House, Hampshire, RG29 1ET
19th Sep 2023 – 6:45pm – Wetherby Whaler, Guiseley, LS20 8LZ