Roll up, roll up and join the award-winning M6 Theatre Company as they present A Tiger’s Tale, a high-spirited family show coming to The Civic in Holmfirth on October 31 2024.
Written by Olivier award-winning Mike Kenny (The Railway Children), one of England’s leading writers specialising in theatre for young people, A Tiger’s Tale tells the unbelievable true story of a family of acrobats and their adopted tiger cub, Fenella.
Fenella was given to the Overends, a family of circus entertainers, when they were touring South Africa in the 1930s.
She lived in Holmfirth from 1939 to 1950, near the local primary school, and was often spotted out and about with her owners.
A Tiger’s Tale presents Fenella’s tale, from a circus train in South Africa, to a steamboat on the Atlantic Ocean and onward to West Yorkshire.
Featuring original music by James Atherton (Around the World in 80 Days, UK Theatre Award winning The Snow Queen), a ramshackle travelling troupe perform an energetic balancing act of circus, puppetry, live music and song.
The show’s director Gilly Baskeyfield, who lives close to Holmfirth, said: “I came across the story years ago when I met one of the Overend sisters whilst working on an arts project.
“When I asked the frail, old lady about her life, I didn’t expect to hear that she had been an acrobat in her family’s travelling circus troupe.
“And I was even more amazed to hear that they had reared a tiger cub and brought it back to live amongst the villagers in Holmfirth.
“It’s a well-known story locally but beyond the village it’s hardly known. It has always felt like a story that was just waiting to be turned into a play for children.
“You never know what adventures life has in store and it’s a privilege to have the chance to show that even the most ordinary looking people can have the most extraordinary stories to tell.”
Founded in 1977 and based in Rochdale, M6 Theatre Company is acknowledged as one of Britain’s leading touring theatre companies specialising in creating and delivering high quality theatre for young audiences.
Dawn Whiteley, on behalf of The Civic, said: “We know that lots of local children learn about Fenella whilst they are at school and so we were thrilled to be asked to host this production in Holmfirth and bring Fenella home where she belongs!”
Tickets for A Tiger’s Tale cost £8 for adults and £5 for children 4+ and are available from The Civic box office on 01484 682643 or visit thecivicholmfirth.org
Main image: Lewis Wileman
