BOOKING NOW: MUST SEE EVENT
Common Ground
Touring May 10-October 18. mikron.org.uk
Grab your walking boots and waterproof for a meander with Marsden-based theatre company Mikron on a hike through the history of land access in England. In their 52nd year of touring, Mikron are set to take audiences on a ‘hill-arious’ ramble through the history of land access in England when it tours Poppy Hollman’s new play Common Ground. In England only eight per cent of land is designated ‘open country’ our right to roam and the legal right to access are hot topics.
Hollman’s witty production tells the tale of the fictional Pendale and District Ramblers. They are looking forward to celebrating ‘in stile’ on their 50th anniversary walk, but the path has been blocked by the landowner. How will they find their way through? Their quest for freedom and fresh air won’t be easy, as they navigate revolting peasants, wandering sheep – and beware of the bull!
Mikron’s talented actor-musicians will navigate this thorny subject matter with originally composed songs, witty lyrics, silliness, hat swapping and gusto. There are plenty of laughs and pathos in a story that looks at how we got to where we are now and where we might go next.
“This is my third commission for Mikron and it’s taken me on a wild ramble,” says Hollman. “From Saxon times to Kinder Scout and beyond, the play explores our connection to the countryside around us. Who is it for, and why should we care? As the Right to Roam movement gains ground and there’s growing awareness of the importance of green spaces for our mental and physical health, it felt timely to explore how we access our countryside. The play delves into history to point out how access has been removed from ordinary folk over the years.”
Directed by Gitika Buttoo, with musical composition by Dan McGlade and music directed and arranged by Rebekah Hughes, the cast of four actor-musicians features Eddie Ahrens, Georgina Liley, Lauren Robinson, and Mark Emmons. Mikron Theatre Company are like no other – they are one of the country’s most prolific touring theatre companies who tour by narrowboat and van to every conceivable venue. They will perform anywhere – no venue is too small, and they will visit 137 different venues in 2024. Touring May 10-October 18 mikron.org.uk