Theatre company in motorway blaze drama
... but show must go on after van bursts into flames
Members of a Bothwellbased theatre company had a lucky escape last month after their van caught fire.
Folksy Theatre Company actors had been travelling on the M5 to Bristol on July 22 to attend an annual Shakespeare festival when smoke started billowing from the engine area of the van.
The driver stopped in a lay-by and the seven actors got out to see flames coming from the bonnet.
Within five minutes engulfed the van.
The performers had been due fire had to attend The Bristol Shakespeare Festival that day as part of their open-air theatre tour of As You Like It.
Due to the fire their festival performance that day was cancelled.
The not-for-profit company, founded in 2009 is run by husband and wife Tom and Lee Hardwicke from their home in Bothwell’s Kirkfield Road.
Tom said this week: “We’re of course upset to lose not only the van, but its contents too.
“However, we’re relieved that no-one was injured.
“Our wonderful actors have been amazing and dealt with the situation brilliantly, and the show is back up and running.
“The fire department from Stroud came out and dealt with the vehicle fire. They put it down to a freak electrical fault.”
The company had owned the van, which they had named Marty, for three years.
It had contained company memorabilia, props, costumes, lights and instruments.
Friends of the company have set up a Go Fund Me page to try and raise money to cover losses.
Tom explained: “As well as a variety of props and equipment our actors lost personal items including clothes, laptops, ipads, phones and musical instruments.
“It was also filled with photos from previous tours.
“The insurance is covering the cost of the van, but its contents are more complicated. The van insurance doesn’t cover contents insurance, and our contents insurance doesn’t cover all the items as they were off our premises.
“We have now hired two vehicles so our tour can continue – and as well as buying all the costumes, props, set, instruments for the show we need to be able to replace our actors’ lost items.”
Folksy Theatre Company are currently in rehearsals for a production of Julia Donaldson’s ‘The Smartest Giant In Town’, which will be also be part of Bothwell Scarecrow Festival in September.
Anyone wishing to donate to the appeal can go to www. gofundme.com/2gj5jss