ETT (English Touring Theatre) have announced their full programme ahead of Trailer Story - a travelling outdoor performance space touring across the UK. It will be a joyful and safe way of bringing communities together in their local public spaces to celebrate theatre. 

Inspired by the origins of ETT, Century Theatre, who toured the UK in a pop-up space, Trailer Story performances will be housed in a truck, usually used to tour production sets around the country, but reimagined as a space for artists and audiences to meet. The performance space was designed by Jon Bausor with Tina Torbey, with lighting by Natasha Chivers. Trailer Story opens in Newcastle between 30 July - 1 August before visiting Keswick from 5-8 August, in partnership with Northern Stage and Theatre by the Lake.  

The touring programme includes theatre with Nouveau Riche’s dance-theatre piece, Resonate, written and performed by Ntonga Mwanza; Lung Theatre’s Who Cares by Matt Woodhead, which explores the experience of young carers; the bike-powered family comedy How to Save a Rock, written by Conky Kampfner, Alex Rugman and Pigfoot; and Tim Crouch’s reimagining of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night from the point of view of its most notoriously abused steward in I, Malvolio.

There is comedy with the country’s best comics performing for an audience of children and their families in Comedy Club 4 Kids.

Figs in Wigs host cosmic game show, Astrology Bingo; and there is A Rain Walk, a self-guided tour accompanied by recorded voices of children from across the UK and Ireland.

With music and beatboxing from Grace Savage, who performs her award-winning beatbox routines and distinguished back catalogue of songs; and Testament also brings his spoken word, rap and beatbox show. 

In addition to this already thrilling line up, the programme offers a platform for local artists in each area to take over the space, including The BonBons Cabaret, Mam Tackles The Climate Crisis, BRASH’s Raising Shame and A case in point by What’s That Dance in Newcastle. Keswick’s local programming to be announced.

Artistic Director Richard Twyman and Executive Producer of ETT Sophie Scull said that Trailer Story “offers audiences a rich selection of entertainment for all ages, from theatre and dance to comedy and spoken word. In this, its inaugural year, we hope that our touring truck will provide the opportunity for artists and audiences to reconnect and celebrate the communal act of theatre-making. We, and all the artists involved, are so excited to be back making work, touring and meeting audiences in their local community again.”

Further information on the Trailer Story and how to get tickets can be found over on the English Touring Theatre website here.