Set in 1940, Macbyrd is a comedy thriller and 16 of the characters are birds. It is about the changes to a small village, brought about by the threat of invasion.
Writer and director Pete Talbot said: “There are, it has to be admitted, a few echoes of a certain Shakespeare play. Macbyrd is told by ’gypsy magpies’ that his time has come, that ’sleek birds, black against the sky’ will rule. In fact, change to the village is because a momentous event is going to happen.
“The comedy is partly in the absurdity of the birds’ world, but also – and it is a comedy of manners – in the ways of country folk. So there’s a bit of Foyle’s War about it and a bit of The Archers, plus quite a bit of The Rudes too.”
The Rude Mechanical Theatre Co is a contemporary commedia dell’arte company working with communities across the south of England in a carnivalesque tradition that goes back thousands of years, visiting annually with new stories, making people laugh, moving them, and being provocative.
They will perform at Haslemere Museum garden on June 4, Ropley recreation ground on June 18, Rowledge Primary School on June 23, Conford village hall field on June 24, Hambledon village hall field on June 25, Hook Meadow in Crondall on July 1, Selborne Primary School field on July 8, The Old Rectory in Droxford on July 9, and Sheet recreation ground on July 17.
All performances start at 7.30pm.
Tickets, priced £15, are available by calling 01323 501260 or online at therudemechanicaltheatre.co.uk.