English Touring Theatre to create outdoor pop-up venue

Hit company English Touring Theatre will create a dedicated touring space entitled 'Trailer Story", which is set to visit locations in Newcastle and Keswick in July and August 2021, in partnership with Northern Stage and Theatre by the Lake.

Presenting weekend-long programmes at various spaces with socially distanced audiences, the truck-mounted space (designed by John Bausor with Tina Torbey) is part of a drive to strive towards sustainability.

The line-up for the touring shows is to be revealed, with the programme to feature a blend of local shows and national artists.

Richard Twyman and Sophie Scull of ETT today said: "Trailer Story sits at the heart of our plans for 2021. It's a project that harnesses ETT's rich history, transformed and re-invented for the present day. Our touring truck is inspired by the company's origins – when Century Theatre toured to towns and cities in a fleet of trucks converted into a performance space called ‘The Blue Box' – but responds to the impact of the pandemic on our communities.

"We want to provide a safe and joyful space to come together and celebrate live arts, and the immense diversity and talent of our country's artists. We hope to make Trailer Story an annual platform for national and local theatre-makers, performance artists and musicians to share their work with audiences outdoors – empowering communities and celebrating imagination."