A new, family friendly show about ice cream and friendship has begun a packed tour of libraries and arts centres around the North-West.
Scrumptious!, by Beggars Belief Collective – a theatre company based in Darwen, Lancashire – features songs, dancing and gentle audience participation.
All is well at Sylvie’s Scrumptious sweet shop: PC Lee can’t resist the fruit cake; Stanley, the horse, loves peppermint creams, and the Talkative Twins only cause a crumb of chaos. Until a stranger arrives, and their irresistible ice cream threatens to spoil everything...
Beggars Belief collaborated with several community groups across Blackburn, Darwen, and Blackpool to create the show, which is built on childhood memories such as trips to the seaside, sweets, ice cream, grandparents, hot summers, favourite places and making friends.
The show's first performance was at the Seek Out Festival in Clitheroe last weekend, and it moves on to Great Harwood Library and Rainhall Centre (August 5), Ormskirk Library and Skemersdale Library (August 6), The Bureau Centre for the Arts and Accrington Library ( August 7), Blackburn Central Library (August 8), Knott End Library and Poulton Library (August 9), Darwen Library (August 10), Rheged Centre (August 12), Ravensthorpe Community Centre (August 14), The Den (August 15), Crow Nest Park (August 17-18), Rochdale Central Library and Alkrington Library (August 19), Stockport Central Library (August 20), Manchester Central Library (August 21), Marsden Mechanics (August 23), The Gregson Community Arts Centre (August 24), Bolton Library, Cafe Crescent (August 25-26), Interplay Theatre (August 27), Gannow Community Centre (August 28) and At The Grange (August 29).
Nicky McRoy, who plays ‘Iridiana’ in the show, said: "We think audiences will appreciate the show's messages of bravery, hope and friendship. We pack a lot into a very short time and the cast navigates a cast of wonderfully silly and charming characters within a very tender and magical narrative."
Director Guy Hargreaves added: ‘Scrumptious is a sweet story about an unexpected friendship, set in a colourful, picture-book world. It looks at how change can sometimes feel scary and difficult, but also at how it can bring wonderful new experiences."
More info and tickets here