A stall in Hanley Market run by artists in day-glow orange and yellow costumes may seem funny peculiar…
Shoppers at the city centre market are being encouraged to take time out at the stall to tell their quirky stories about life in Stoke-on-Trent to arts group, Red Herring.
Red Herring are bringing their show, called Funny Peculiar, to Stoke-on-Trent’s The Big Feast over the August Bank Holiday weekend.
Red Herring will be in the city centre, from Tuesday, collecting stories of local life which will be woven into their Big Feast performances as “tour guides” Leslie and Lesley take groups of people wearing headphones on a hilarious walk around the city centre.
Funny Peculiar HQ will be in Hanley’s Market Hall, below the Potteries Shopping Centre, between 12 noon and 3.30pm from Tuesday, 11th to Friday, 14th August.
Red Herring are just one of a diverse range of groups who have been commissioned by Appetite to perform at The Big Feast between Friday, 28 August and Sunday, 30 August.
“Funny Peculiar is a unique outdoor performance led by two hilarious tour guides who are on a search to find Britain’s most eccentric people,” said Appetite Project Director, Karl Greenwood.
“Red Herring would like anyone with a story to tell to pop into their Funny Peculiar HQ at Hanley Market to give them their tales of eccentricity and quirky behaviour.
“If people can’t get into Hanley, they can still send their story to Red Herring by going online to www.funny-peculiar.co.uk or by sending a Tweet to @funnypeculiarUK.”
There is also an opportunity for budding actors to be part of the Funny Peculiar show. Red Herring and Appetite would like to hear from budding performers who want to attend workshops and rehearsals and then perform in the city centre during The Big Feast. To sign up or for more information about the content of the workshops, please contact Theresa Tainton on 01782 381373 by 7 August.
People can pick up Funny Peculiar tickets in the Funny Peculiar HQ during opening times. Tickets start from £3.50 and places are limited for each show. Tickets to all events can be found online at www.appetitestoke.co.uk. The full-line up of The Big Feast is also available on the website. Most acts and shows at The Big Feast are free and only a small number of shows are ticketed.
ENDS
For media enquiries contact Nigel Howle by phone on 0776 2043436 or email [email protected]
Notes to Editors:
Appetite is the Creative People and Places programme taking place in Stoke-on-Trent from 2013 to 2016. Appetite aims to get more people in Stoke-on-Trent to experience and be inspired by the arts. This investment in the arts and cultural sector of the area aims to mobilise and strengthen the skills, knowledge and infrastructure that already exists within the area and provide unprecedented opportunities for more people to see, make and influence more art in the city.
The Appetite programme is funded by Arts Council England and is led by the New Vic Theatre in partnership with B Arts, Brighter Futures, Partners in Creative Learning and Staffordshire University. It is supported by Stoke-on-Trent City Council.
Visit the Appetite website at www.appetitestoke.co.uk