Marking its 45th tour across the UK transported by vintage narrowboat, theatre company Mikron is to première Richard Vergette’s new play Pure in a tour that runs from the end of May to October.
Pure reflects Yorkshire–based Mikron's signature practice of putting on shows about "ordinary people caught up in big events" in unusual venues.
The play is concerned with the business end of chocolate production, interweaving two plots: one set in the present day and one set 150 years ago.
Richard Vergette said of Pure, “researching this play has been one of the most fascinating aspects of writing Pure and not because it’s given me an excuse to eat lots of chocolate (I don’t need an excuse).
"Discovering that child and slave labour are still features of chocolate production made me realise that whilst I wanted the play to celebrate chocolate, I couldn’t ignore the darker elements of its story either.”
Vergette’s other writing credits include American Justice at London's Arts Theatre, Dancing through the Shadows for Hull Truck Theatre, The Devil's Chord and As We Forgive Them which premièred at the 2009 24.7 Theatre Festival in Manchester and won the Manchester Evening News award for Best Fringe Production.
Touring alongside Pure is Canary, a play about female factory workers during the First World War. Mikron Theatre Company's previous production was a play about fish and chips, Deborah McAndrew’s One of Each.
For Pure, Stefan Escreet will direct a cast composed of James McLean, Claire Burns, Stephanie Hackett and Matt Joplin. Composition and musical direction is by Rebekah Hughes.
Pure tours as follows:
- 28 May - Square Chapel Centre for the Arts Halifax
- 29 May - Stirley Community Farm Huddersfield
- 31 May and 1 June - The Swan Saddleworth
- 4 June - The Cider Press Cafe Holmfirth
- 4 June - New Shoots Gardens Heske Bank
- 7 June - Scarcroft Allotments York
- 8 June - Grimesthorpe Allotments Sheffield
- 9 June - The Hearty Goodfellow Southwell
- 12 June - The Waterside Inn Loughborough
- 14 June - Victoria Hotel Nottingham
- 17 June - The Moorings Northampton
- 22 June - Lionhearts Cruising Club Milton Keynes
- 24 June - Lindengate Wendover
- 26 June - The Anglers Retreat Tring
- 29 June - The Rising Sun Berkhamsted
- 1 July - Framfield Allotments Hanwell
- 5 July - The Three Horseshoes Hemel Hempstead
- 9 July - Donnington Parish Hall Chichester
- 22 July - The Riverside Tea Garden @ Sonning
- 24 July - Minal WI - Mildenhall Cricket Pavillion Nr Marlborough
- 27 July - The Oxfo Science Park Oxford
- 28 July - The Rowbarge Reading
- 30 July - Bloomfield Road Allotments Bath
- 31 July - Nor Aston Village Green Bicester
- 4 August - Waterfront Cafe Benson - MAT Benson
- 5 August - The Plough Inn Abingdon
- 7 August - Woking Canal Festival Woking
- 10 August - Mary's Allotments Leamington Spa
- 12 August - Cricklade Bloomers Cricklade
- 13 August - Alcester War Memorial Town Hall (Eve) Alcester
- 16 August - The Rock of Gibraltar Woodstock
- 18 August - The Pig Place Banbury
- 20 August - Wharf House Oxfordshire
- 23 August - The Folly Napton on the Hill
- 26 August - Rowington Village Hall Rowington
- 27 August - The Goat & Trousers Alvechurch
- 31 August - Camp House Inn Nr Worcester
- 1 September - Tontine Gardens Stourport on Severn
- 3 September - Rodborough Community Hall Stroud
- 18 September - Gilroy Community Allotment Site Wirral
- 21 September - Daisy Nook Centre Failsworth
- 29 September - Trinity Church Wakefield
- 30 September - Georgian Theatre Royal Richmond
- 12 October - Franco's Huddersfield
- 15 October - Old Malton War Memorial Hall Malton
- 22 October - Marsden Mechanics Hall Huddersfield