Curtain up! . . .

Monday, 8 June 2009

A NEW stage version of the poems of Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy and the UK premiere of a dark comedy based on Shakespeare's 'Macbeth' are among the spoken word highlights of this year's Hebden Bridge Arts Festival.

'The World's Wife', adapted from the poems of Carol Ann Duffy and performed by Linda Marlowe, stops off at the Little Theatre, Hebden Bridge, on the way to the Edinburgh Festival, on July 10. The show slices through history and myth to take a subversive look at famous men through the ages - from the perspective of their wives.

The Ted Hughes Theatre at Calder High School, Mytholmroyd, will be the setting for the UK premiere of Dreamscape Theatre's 'Full of Sound and Fury' on July 3. The dark comedy by Roman de Fruscan explores what happens when a group of highly-talented, highly-strung actors gets together to stage 'Macbeth'. The play is suitable for over-12s and audiences are invited to 'pay what they want' to see the show.

Drama programmer Stephen May said: "Many of the top arts venues in the country have a Pay What You Want night. It's a novel way for the Festival to engage with new audiences, and we believe Dreamscape’s comic mix of Shakespeare and new writing will appeal to people of all ages." The show starts at 8pm and tickets will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.
Other spoken word events include the family comedy show 'The Three Musketeers' at the Little Theatre on June 28 and the popular Long Nose Puppets with 'Flyaway Katie', aimed at young children, at the Little Theatre on July 4.

Storyteller Debs Newbold will bring her delightful folk stories and travellers' tales to St Michael's Church Hall, Mytholmroyd, on July 6. Debs spent six months travelling the UK's waterways, collecting traditional tales and urban myths and her show 'The Wrekin Cycle' is the result. The show is suitable for audiences aged 14+.

The Festival runs from
Friday June 26 to Sunday July 12.  

Look over the Festival website or phone 01422 842684 for more information.