Hey, Presto! – a carnival-themed production for children – kicks off a region-wide tour later this month

A NEW theatre production for children under seven and their families is touring the region this autumn and will visit 38 libraries, village halls and community centres between September 22 and October 30.

Hey, Presto! is a theatre adaptation of the popular picture book by author-illustrator Nadia Shireen. Produced by New Writing North for Durham Book Festival, the carnival-themed production promises to bring all the fun of the fair to communities which previously enjoyed sell-out tours of Man on the Moon (2015) and The Worst Princess (2014) by the same production team.

Presto the cat and Monty the dog are best friends. Monty (played by Matthew Gundel) is great at singing, eating ice cream and pulling funny faces, while Presto (played by Samantha Morris) is a brilliant magician. When the carnival comes to town, Presto and Monty decide to join up with their amazing magic act. The show is a huge success, but fame goes to Monty’s head.

Can the friends work out how to work together, before it’s too late? Families will have to come along to this musical, magical production to find out.

Nadia Shireen’s picture book has been adapted by Laura Lindow, an award-winning Scottish writer/director based in Newcastle, whose writing credits include Beyond the End of the Road (November Club), Up & Out, Christmas Sprout (Northern Stage), Wee Red (The Empty Space) and Your Aunt Fanny (Live Theatre). Ruth Johnson, who also directed Man on the Moon and The Worst Princess for Durham Book Festival, directs. The fairground set is from award winning designer Imogen Cloët.

The four-strong cast of North East actors includes Ziad Jabero of the Baghdaddies, alongside performers Claire Tustin, Samantha Morris and Matthew Gundel.

Ruth Johnson, director, says: "The story is so rich in fun, friendship and magic and will be an experience for all the family to enjoy. Laura Lindow and I had so much fun sharing Nadia Shireen's wonderful book with young children and we were inspired by their reactions to it and how much they cared for the characters.”

Producer Anna Disley, programme director at New Writing North, says: “We feel very lucky to have Nadia Shireen’s permission to adapt this brilliant picture book, which is full of laughter and fun, as well as a very heart-warming message about friendship and the fact that we are all different but all have our own special talents, which should be celebrated and nurtured.”

“This is our fourth children’s theatre production for Durham Book Festival, and an important feature of the tour is that we visit many rural areas and places without their own theatres. We want to show our audiences that theatre and art can take place wherever you are. We are looking forward to returning to some of the venues we visited last year, and to meeting the children at new venues. Even if you’ve never been to the theatre before, we hope you’ll come along for a fun afternoon of family entertainment.”

Hey, Presto! our datesare on heyprestotour.com

Friday, Sept 23, 11am & 2pm; Newcastle City Library, NE1 8AX. Tickets: £2.50. Book Tickets on Eventbrite

Saturday, Sept 24, 10am; Tanfield Lea Community Centre, DH9 9LZ. Tickets: £2 children, £3.50 adults. Tel: 01207-231570

Saturday, Oct 1, 10am; Waterhouses Community Centre, DH7 9AS. Tickets: £2. Tel: 07596 044238. 2.30pm, Peterlee Library, SR8 1NT. Tickets: £2 children. Tel: 03000 269509

Sunday, Oct 2, 2.30pm; Dipton Community Centre, DH9 9DR. Tickets: £1.50 children, £2.50 adults. Tel: 01207-570003.

Tuesday, Oct 4, 2pm; Tow Law Community Centre, DL13 4AW. Tickets: £2.50. Tel: 01388-731444

Thursday, Oct 6, 10am; An East Durham Creates performance. For more information call 0191-518-5073. 2pm;

Jubilee Hall, West Rainton, DH4 6NU. Tickets: £2 children, £3 adults. Tel: 07976-238503.

Saturday, Oct 8, 10.30am; Gala Theatre Studio, DH1 1WA. Tickets: £5 children, £7 adults. Tel: 03000-266600. 2.30pm; Pelton Community Centre, DH2 1DE. Tickets: £2. Tel: 0191-3700726.

Monday, Oct 10, 10am; Bishop Auckland Town Hall, DL14 7NP. Tickets: £2. Tel: 03000-269524. 4pm; An East Durham Creates performance. For more information call 0191-518-5073.

Tuesday, Oct 11, 4pm; Locomotion: The NRM at Shildon, DL4 2RE. Tickets: Free. Tel: 01904-685780

Wednesday, Oct 19, 10am; Newton Aycliffe Library, DL5 5QG. Tickets: £2. Tel: 03000-269519. 2pm, Crook Library, DL15 9ES.

Tickets: £2. Tel: 03000-269002.

Sunday, Oct 9, 11am & 2pm; Sage Gateshead, NE8 2JR. Tickets: £5. Tel: 0191 4434661

Monday, Oct 17, 10.30am & 1.30pm; Excelsior Academy, NE15 6AF. Tickets: £1. Tel: 0191 2288400.

Tuesday, Oct 18, 10am; Cramlington Library, NE23 6YB. Tickets: £2. Tel: 01670 620232. 2pm, Blyth Library, NE24 2DJ. Tickets: £2. Tel: 01670-620149.

Wednesday, Oct 26, 2.30pm; Chester-le-Street Library, DH3 3BP. Tickets: £2. Tel: 03000-269512.

Thursday, Oct 27, 10.30am; Crown Street Library, Darlington, DL1 1ND. Tickets: £4. Tel: 01325-349610. 2.30pm; Trimdon Station Community Centre, TS29 6BS. Tickets: £3. Tel: 01429-882200.

Friday, Oct 28, 10am; Greenhills Centre, Wheatley Hill, DH6 3JS. Tickets: £2 children, accompanying adults and under 12months free. Tel: 01429 820214

Saturday, Oct 29, 10.15am; The Word: National Centre for the Written Word, NE33 1JF. Tickets: £3 children, £2 adults. Tel: 0191- 4247885. 2.30pm; Seaham Library, SR7 7JE. Tickets: £2. Tel: 03000-262510

Sunday, Oct 30, 11am; The Word: National Centre for the Written Word, NE33 1JF. Tickets: £3 children, £2 adults. Tel: 0191- 4247885.