Music festival village now preparing to stage drama extravaganza

A VILLAGE which is already home to one of the area’s biggest music festivals is to host a drama event which organisers hope will build a big following of its own.

The team behind the Penny Duck Theatre Company will present the Duck’s Bill Drama Festival at the Duke of Cumberland pub, Cottingham on September 24. They plan a low-key start with just one stage, but hope to follow in the footsteps of the huge Springboard music festival and see it spread to other pubs in the village.

Penny Duck was formed three years ago and has delivered a number of successful productions, notably at the Hourne community centre in Hessle and in the Studio Theatre at Hull Truck.

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The festival grew out of the desire to take theatre to a new audience.

“There is a lot of interest in drama but it’s not the sort of thing you often see in pubs,” said Andy Wilson, who founded Penny Duck with Dan Sirrs. “So we’re offering an entertainment package that is completely different and we are confident it will be very high quality.”

Most of the writers and performers are locally-based, including poet and playwright Dave Windass and a few former Cottingham High School students. James Marsters, another member of Penny Duck, has written a play for the event, as has Andy himself.

One of the biggest attractions is expected to be Nicola Wilkinson, a stand-up comic and regular at the Edinburgh Festival who comes from Hull. The programme promises a mix of drama, murder mystery and comedy. Tickets will be available from the venue or by calling the box office on 07910 686814. Tickets can be bought for £3 per show or £8 for a day’s pass.