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Dateline: 1st June, 2006

The Fitzcarraldo
Noah's Ark production photot

Walk the Plank in Scotland

Britain's only touring theatre ship is set to hoist its anchor this summer for Walk the Plank's annual tour of the UK with a production of the world's most famous nautical tale Noah's Ark, written specially for performance on board.

The ship will visit ports and harbours throughout Scotland from June to September as part of a four month national tour. Kicking off at the Celtic European Festival of the Sea in Northern Ireland (its last performance is on 4th June in Derry), the ship will then sail up to Scotland for its debut on the 16th June in Lerwick, then on to Lochinver, Kirkcudbright, The Glasgow River Festival, Larne, and Oban.

The Fitzcarraldo, owned and operated by Walk the Plank for the last fourteen years, is a former Norwegian cargo and passenger ferry, which has been transformed into a unique touring theatre. Her crew includes actors, technicians and stage managers as well as the Captain, Mate and Engineer. The team all live and work onboard, with the actors learning to heave ropes and scrub the decks and the Captain helping to rig lights and fly scenery.

Flooding, feuding and dynamic performance combine as the story of Noah's Ark is brought to life with a contemporary twist. Walk the Plank's production tells the tale of Noah's grandchild who, left in control of the helm, finds herself tangled up in the chains of evolution. The show features a cast of caged monkeys; all-singing, all-dancing, all-smoking lab rats; and a power-crazed parrot who's cloning animals in the cargo holds.

The intimate theatre on the aft deck creates an atmospheric setting for this creaking, ramshackle story of an Ark, along with puppetry and music which all combine to create a family show.

Walk the Plank have developed a reputation for bringing great sea stories to life - often combining new writing with special effects created using more imagination than big budgets. The company has offered many children and young people their first opportunity to experience live theatre, and one which they will never forget as they have to climb the gangplank on one of the most unusual vessels in the country.

Noah's Ark is aimed at children of eight and over.

The Scottish tour includes:

Lerwick-Shetland, 16th - 10th June
Lochinver 22nd June
Kirkcudbright, 28th June 2nd July
Glasgow River Festival, 14th - 16th July
Larne, 18th - 20th July
Oban, TBC

Other dates

Liverpool, 7th - 11th June
Northwich, 6th - 10th July
Gloucester, 27th - 30th July
Maryport, TBC
Whitehaven, TBC

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©Peter Lathan 2006