Celebrate cheese and eccentricity with Mikron in Northants

Wensleydale Whey is set in the the Yorkshire Dales, where the stakes are high. Monks from the Abbey are desperately seeking a living soul to resurrect their traditional Wensleydale cheese. The musical journey features a colourful cast of characters, ghosts and grievances as it delves into the rich history of cheese, from its humble beginnings to its place on the most sophisticated platters.

And Top of the Wold is a story about a quirky mobile library. Bursting with original songs, the show invites audiences to join the East Riding Mobile Library in a celebration of community, culture, caravans – and peas. From the rolling Wolds to the wild North Sea, it is billed as a “quest through a patchwork of culture and community” that “celebrates the forgotten, the resilient and the wonderfully eccentric”.

Mikron is celebrating 54 years of touring this year. Artistic director Marianne McNamara said: “2026 is a milestone year for Mikron. The company remains one of the UK’s most prolific touring theatre companies, performing over 5,000 shows since 1972 by canal, river and road, and we’re also celebrating our beautiful narrowboat Tyseley’s 90th birthday this year.”

Wensleydale Whey is written by Lucie Raine, with original music by composer Amal El-Sawad. The production is directed by Elvi Piper, with musical direction and arrangements by Robert Cooper and set and costume design from Celia Perkins. It stars four actor-musicians: James McLean, Georgina Liley, Robert Took and Catherine Warnock.

Marianne added: “We’re all big foodies here at Mikron, so a pitch for a show about cheese was not a hard sell for Lucie!”

The writer and lyricist of Top of the Wold is Maeve Larkin, with music composed by Robert Cooper. It is directed by Marianne McNamara, with Sonum Batra as music director and arranger and Celia Perkins as set and costume designer.

For over five decades, Mikron has been taking professional theatre to hundreds of different venues, from allotments and fish and chip shops to pubs, village greens and even the odd theatre.

Based in Marsden, West Yorkshire, Mikron is a unique touring theatre company that travels by narrowboat and van. Over its 54 years, it has performed thousands of times to nearly half a million people. A significant portion of Mirkon’s performances are staged on a "pay what you feel" basis.

Wensleydale Whey comes to the Wharf Inn in Welford on May 26 and the Admiral Nelson in Braunston on June 10.

Top Of The Wold comes to Crick Waterside & Marina on June 3 and the Canal Museum in Stoke Bruerne on June 12.

Visit mikron.org.uk for more information.