Theatre appeal for tales of River Avon

A theatre group is appealing for stories about the River Avon through Warwickshire for the latest in a series of performances about great rivers of the world.

Birmingham-based Stan's Cafe is working with the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) on the project, which is due to be performed in mid-August.

The group has already completed projects about the Thames and the Volga in Russia, The Severn and the Indus, and the Avon is the next on the list.

Craig Stephens, co-writer and Associate Director at Stan's Cafe, said: "(Rivers) are completely full of history, whether it's natural history or the history of people."

Stephens says stories can range from the dramatic to the ordinary.

"It might be swimming in the river, falling in it, boating on it, or you've spotted an otter on it. How has it changed, or stayed the same. Any little memory or stories we'd love to hear," he said.

The Avon, known as Shakespeare's Avon to differentiate it from other rivers, is 85 miles (137km) long and runs between Naseby in Northamptonshire, through Warwickshire and ends in Gloucestershire, making it one of the longest river systems in England.

Stephens said the performance will be accompanied by a fabric map of its course and unveiled at the same time and he hopes that prompts more memories from those viewing it.

"People gather round the map and it gives them the opportunity to go: 'oh, you didn't mention this, you didn't mention that'.

"The performance is a nice way of gathering other stories from people and to share their memories and experiences of the river."

The map of the Avon, and the performance based on stories connected to the river, will go on tour in mid-August.

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