Vagabonding Tour
3rd to 22nd May, various locations and dates TBC
Two artists will take a journey in the footsteps of one of England's most famous puppeteers this spring
Gary Bridgens and Phill Gregg of Headzup Theatre in Barrow will travel about 100 miles, mainly on foot, through the countryside of the Lake District and South Cumbria, performing shows along the way for visitors and local residents.
The trip is inspired by the travels of Walter Wilkinson, a world famous showman and puppeteer, who toured throughout the British Isles and the United States during 1920s and 1930s. Wilkinson set up his show wherever he could find an audience and wrote travelogues of his experiences which became a series of popular books.
The pair of modern day showmen will set out from historic Piel Island in the south west corner of Cumbria on Tuesday 3rd May and over the following three weeks they will travel between visitor attractions and isolated rural communities as far north as Ambleside before making their way back to Barrow.
Gary Bridgens says: "As performers we've long had a fascination with
the journeys of Walter Wilkinson and it was something we wanted to do
ourselves. Like Walter Wilkinson we will travel with a small cart that
doubles as a puppet booth and carry a collection of puppets, props and
instruments - as well as a tent and a change of clothes."
"Walter's travels took him into the south of Cumbria as part of a journey through Lancashire but we have created our own route," said Phill Gregg. "Where he kept a journal we will be recording our experiences on a blog as well as on Facebook and Twitter. Walter also did some fantastic sketches of his travels while we'll be using a modern camera."
The specially created show, called Vagabonding, will feature songs and stories devised from local heritage and folklore. Along the way, the performers will collect and document stories from the places they visit, sharing them with new audiences each day.
The full tour schedule will be available shortly.