Stages ready to welcome a monster play

A theatre show will take its audience on a trip to the zoo with a difference as it goes on tour.

Do Not Enter the Monster Zoo has been adapted from the book written by Amy Sparkes and illustrated by Sara Ogilvie as part of this year’s Durham Book Festival.

Director Ruth Johnson said: “I am thrilled and beyond excited to be taking our monsters out on the road.

“Amy Sparkes and Sara Ogilvie’s book is so full of fun and chaos and we have a brilliant team to bring this to life.”

Anna Disley is executive director for programme and impact at New Writing North, which is producing the show.

It is aimed at under-sevens and will visit 41 venues across the North East and beyond.

She said: “It is with great excitement that we can announce a new production for under-sevens and their families this autumn.

“This is our fifth year of touring theatre productions for young children and we’re exciting to be returning to many of the same community centres and libraries that we’ve visited previously, as well as introducing new venues to our tour.

“It’s going to be great fun and we hope everybody is ready to enter the monster zoo with us.”

Shows include one at Back on the Map in Hendon on Saturday, October 21, at 10am and at St Oswald’s Communicare, in Grindon, on Saturday, October 21, at 2pm, which are supported by the Cultural Spring.

County Durham shows include Peterlee Library on Saturday, September 23, at 2.30pm; Shotton Community Centre on Saturday, September 30, at 10.30am; Jubilee Hall, in West Rainton, on Thursday, October 5, at 2pm; Seaham Library on Saturday, October 7, at 2.30pm; Durham’s Gala Theatre on Sunday, October 8, at 10.30am; Horden Youth and Community Centre on Wednesday, October 25, at 2pm and Blackhall Community Centre on Friday, October 27, at 2pm.

The shows in Horden, Blackhall and Shotton are supported by East Durham Creates.

For more details, visit www.monsterzootour.com.