A UNIQUE show about womanhood has brought together dancers from two continents.

Twelve young actors – six from the North East and six from Johannesburg, South Africa – collaborated using Skype and the internet before performing the show to standing ovation in South Africa.

Now they are set to perform the UK premiere of 'Encountering the Other' on the stage of the newly re-vamped Hippodrome Theatre in Darlington.

The result of their cross-continent collaboration is a powerful collection of stories, dance, comedy, singing and improvisation, based on their views on womanhood, their different experiences and what they want from the future.

Darlington-based theatre company, Oddmanout formed the international collaboration with The Market Theatre Laboratory, Johannesburg, for the new production, examining womanhood in 2017.

The North East contingent, from Newcastle, Sunderland and Teesside visited Johannesburg in October and the South African group arrived in the UK this week.

Katy Weir, of Oddmanout, said: “Our aim was to achieve mixed gender, class, and race participation, providing a more inclusive outcome in a way that transcends more than just cultural divides, but also, divides of gender, class and sexuality.

“The actors got on so brilliantly. They are obviously very different, but what brought them together was identifying the things that joined them. Having a crush, understanding how to grow up.

"In the question and answer afterwards, people kept coming back to asking what separates them and they stood defiant about what brings them together. It was great to see people crossing their geographical and societal divides to explore the big issues they have in common.”

The theatre group will be holding creative workshops in Darlington in the coming months to help shape the direction and approach of future work, through regular engagement with local communities.

For further details or to book tickets for Monday's show visit www.darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk