Next stop is the lifeboat station
Following its successful touring productions of Pure and Canary Girls, the awardwinning Mikron Theatre is set to take to the seas with the premiere of Laurence Peacock’s new play celebrating 200 years of the RNLI – In At The Deep End.
The new play will start its national tour at the Square Chapel Centre for the Arts In in Halifax on May 6 and arrives at Scarborough Lifeboat Station on Wednesday May 24 at 7pm.
Skipwick RNLI is all at sea. Crew members are hard to come by and coxswain Darren’s management style isn’t helping. So, when 17-year-old Shannon volunteers, it’s all hands-on deck – particularly for Darren’s teenage son, Billy.
Can the station survive in this ‘me first’ age? Will eccentric fundraiser Hazel’s ideas ever turn a profit? And can Darren and Billy chart the choppy emotional waters closer to home?
In At The Deep End will be directed by Stefan Escreet (Pure, Mikon Theatre and former associate director at Theatre by the Lake), designed by Kate Morton (One of Each, Mikron Theatre) and feature music by Rebekah Hughes (Cyrano, Northern Broadsides). The cast will feature James McLean, Craig Anderson, Rose McPhilemy and Claire Marie-Seddon.
Director Stefan Escreet said: “In At The Deep End is an extraordinary example of Mikron’s ethos of anywhere for everyone. Some lucky people will get the chance to see this show in an actual lifeboat station. I think that’s an extraordinary piece of site specific theatre, it’s going to be really exciting.”
Amy Casbolt, RNLI community fundraising manager, said: “It’s really exciting that the Mikron Theatre Company is touring with a play about our lifesaving charity. The RNLI was founded in 1824 and our volunteers have a rich tapestry of inspiring stories to tell.
“We’re delighted that the play will spread the word about the RNLI and its history. We are also very grateful that Mikron will donate 50% of box office takings from shows which are hosted at RNLI venues, this will help us to continue our vital work of saving lives at sea.’
This year Mikron Theatre Company will embark on its 46th tour. The company travel around the country by the inland waterways on their vintage narrowboat, Tyseley, playing at 150 venues this year.
Based in the village of Marsden, at the foot of the Yorkshire Pennines, Mikron Theatre Company The company is like no other. It tours for most of the year on board a vintage narrowboat, secondly, it puts on their shows in places that other theatre companies would not dream of; a play about growingyour-own shown in allotments, a play about bees performed next to hives, a play about food to audiences in fields and farm shops.