Download Till the Cows Come Home

For Immediate Release
30/04/14
Till the Cows Come Home
Mikron Theatre’s farm-fresh, full-fat, fair-trade Fable.
Harvey Granelli is fed up of working for Thistledale Council. He followed his
miserable mother into local government, but he has more in common with his
Italian father – part-time playboy and one-time ice-cream maker, Romeo.
Inspired by a dream, Harvey finally finds the courage to follow his heart. But
when he whips up a gelato from Papa Granelli’s recipe book it just doesn’t taste
the same. Times have changed; the way our food is produced has changed…
Harvey now has a choice. He can make an inferior product, or he can source
the very best ingredients and make the finest ice-cream in the world. His quest
will take him to the corners of the earth – from Thistledale to Tuscany: from
Bridlington to Brazil.
But can Harvey really recreate a taste from the past? Will he return in time to
prevent his faithful girlfriend Maud surrendering to the charms of another man?
And why is he being followed?
Till the Cows Come Home explores modern food production, alongside the
growth of the Slow Food movement and consumer awareness. Like all of
Mikron’s shows it does this at a cracking pace, with plenty of humour, live music
and memorable characters.
Olwen May who directs Till the Cows Come Home, joins Mikron for the first time
this year, she says, “The company has such a rich history of creating theatre in
non traditional theatre spaces. It’s everything I feel theatre should be accessible, adventurous and with a passion to ask questions of the world we
live in. Till The Cows Come Home has all the adventure and invention of a
Hollywood block-buster with some real questions about what we do to the food
we eat. It’s also fun and chock full of music and humour. What's not to like?”
Mikron, who have been producing their unique brand of theatre for 43 years,
tour throughout England by narrowboat, traveling along canals and rivers, and
mooring up at canal-side venues; pubs, village halls, marinas and dry docks.
The cast of four unpack set, props, costumes, musical instruments and lights,
and as the audience gather, conjure up a variety of characters, stories and
songs, transporting the audience all around the globe.
Till the Cows Come Home will tour nationally playing a variety of venues from
April until October, details are on Mikron’s website www.mikron.org.uk.
Till the Cows Come Home:
On: Friday 13th June at 7.30pm
At: Nottingham Road & District Allotment Association, Highfield Lane,
Chaddesden, Derby, DE21 6PJ
Tickets: There is no need to buy a ticket, as a collection will be taken by the
company after the performance.
For more information: 07812 564708 or visit
www.e-voice.org.uk/highfieldlane
This is an outdoor show, although there will be shelter available in case of wet
weather, please dress appropriately for a British summer’s evening. We
suggest sunscreen, sunglasses, waterproofs, wellies and blankets!
Bring your own chairs, blankets and picnics.
Notes to Editor:
In 2014, Mikron Theatre Company embark on their 43rd tour. This unique
company travel around the country by the inland waterways on their vintage
narrowboat, Tyseley, playing an estimated 136 venues this year alone!
Based in the village of Marsden, at the foot of the Yorkshire Pennines, Mikron
Theatre Company annually contract a company of four actor-musicians and
commission two shows with original music. The shows, routed in social history,
tell the stories of ordinary people caught up in big events, always in a way that is
witty, fun and accessible.
Till the Cows Come Home will be touring from the beginning of May 2014 in rep with
Mikron’s other newly commissioned show, Troupers, a history of Front Line
entertainment in the First World War.
About the Creative Team
Olwen May – Director
Olwen has worked as an actor/director for 25 yrs. She has performed with companies
such as The Young Vic, The RSC, West Yorkshire Playhouse and The Royal
Exchange Theatre. Her extensive television credits include "Happy Valley", "Silent
Witness", "George Gently", "Coronation Street" and "Life On Mars". She has directed
at Bretton Hall, The Royal Armouries, the Universities of Manchester and Huddersfield
and M6 Theatre. She has recently directed "Grandpa's Railway" for M6 and will be
re-directing "Only Water Between" for Fifty Six Ninety Six in the Autumn to
commemorate World War One.
Deborah McAndrew – Writer
Playwright and actor Deborah McAndrew studied Drama at Manchester University. In
her acting career she has worked extensively in theatre, television and radio. She is
best known for her role as Coronation Street regular, Angie Freeman, in the 1990s.
Deborah’s many play writing credits include: (2014) An August Bank Holiday Lark,
Northern Broadsides (2013) ‘The Grand Gesture’, Northern Broadsides, ‘Beyond the
Veil’, Mikron, (2012) ‘Losing The Plot’ Mikron Theatre Company; ‘A Government
Inspector’ Northern Broadsides; (2010) ‘David Copperfield’ Octagon Theatre, Bolton;
‘King Macbeth’ Reveal Theatre Company; (2009) ‘Oliver Twist’ Octagon Theatre,
Bolton; (2008) ‘Flamingoland’ New Vic Theatre; ‘Accidental Death Of An Anarchist’
Northern Broadsides; (2006) ‘Vacuum’ Northern Broadsides; (2004) ‘The Bells’
Northern Broadsides..
Conrad Nelson – Composer
Conrad is Resident Associate Director and Composer for Northern Broadsides and
has composed music for almost every Northern Broadsides production since 1993. He
has also composed musical scores for many productions at Bolton Octagon Theatre,
including their most recent acclaimed productions of ‘David Copperfield’ and ‘Oliver
Twist’. His acting career spans over twenty years and boasts a vast body of work in
repertory and touring theatre, radio, television and film. His many acting credits for
Northern Broadsides include the title roles in ‘Oedipus’, ‘Henry V’ and ‘Richard III’, and
a highly acclaimed performance as Iago to Lenny Henry’s ‘Othello’ in 2009. Conrad’s
many directing credits include: (2013)‘The Grand Gesture’ (2012)‘A Government
Inspector’, ‘Ballroom Blitz’ (2012); ‘Broken Time’, ‘Hamlet’ (2011); ‘1984’, ‘The
Canterbury Tales’ (2010); ‘Accidental Death Of An Anarchist’ (2008).
Rebekah Hughes – Musical Director
Rebekah returns to Mikron for her thirteenth season having been Resident Musical
Director since 2001. Alongside running her own music service RS Notes, she also gigs
regularly with swing trio The Gelatos, composes and arranges original material for
Theatre Tots in London and is an Associate Artist with Manchester based Artful
Playground. Other MD credits include ‘The Grand Gesture’ ‘A Government Inspector’,
‘Hamlet’, ‘Canterbury Tales’, ‘Heidi’ and ‘Lisa’s Sex Strike’ (Northern Broadsides);
‘Dick Whittington and his Cat‘ (Salisbury Playhouse), Broken Time’ (Three Stones
Media); ‘Oliver Twist’ (Bolton Octagon) and ‘The Night Before Xmas’ (PMA
Productions)
Kate Morton – Designer
Kate trained in Theatre Design at Nottingham Trent University. She has been a
freelance designer for the last 20 years, working for a wide variety of companies,
designing every- thing from opera and national touring productions to pantomime and
storytelling.
She has designed for LBT, Huddersfield, Telling Tales, London Opera
Players, Tyne Theatre, Channel theatre Company and the American Drama Group.
Kate has also worked as Assistant Designer at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, and has
been a propmaker and scenic artist for many companies including Hull Truck,
Aberystwyth Arts Centre, The Brix, Steam Industry and the Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh.
Kate is delighted to be working with Mikron again this, her 3rd year.
Links
Mikron’s Website: http://tiny.cc/mikrontheatre
Tour Dates: http://tiny.cc/tourdates2014
Slow Food UK: http://www.slowfood.org.uk
Acknowledgements
Mikron is grateful to Slow Food UK for their support in the development and touring of
Till the Cows Come Home
The research and development of the script for Till the Cows Come Home and its
2014 national tour are supported by the National Lottery through Arts Council
England.
Mikron gratefully acknowledges the support from Esmee Fairburn Foundation
which allows the company to continue to develop.