Land Army play set to woo more audiences

Badapple Theatre Company, a non-profit company established by Kate Bramley, will take its Back to the Land Girls play to the Penistone Paramount Theatre on May 27.

The play is a comedy that follows the wartime experience of characters Buff and Biddy, two girls who move to the North Yorkshire countryside to work in agriculture.

Ms Bramley, who directed and wrote the play, interviewed 17 women who moved from cities to the country during the war to get ideas for the project.

She said: "These women are an absolute inspiration. Many of them were brought up in cities such as Leeds and Liverpool, and were forced to move to the countryside at a young age where they worked their socks off.

"Some of the women had to plough the fields, others were rat catchers, and some worked on farms milking the cows. They really did work hard."

The group –which consists of actresses Abigail Uttley and Samantha Edwards, along with two technical managers, a musical director and Kate – is embarking on a two-month tour across the UK. They have already been playing to packed theatres, with many shows sold out.

Ms Bramley said: "As a small theatre company, the main aim we have is to provide entertainment to local communities.

"But I would be delighted if Back to the Land Girls makes people sit up and realise just what an important role these women played in wartime Britain."

Badapple Theatre Company is a non-profit company, and money from ticket and programme sales goes towards paying professional actresses, hiring village halls and other venues, and publicity.

More information about the company and its links to Yorkshire can be found at www.badappletheatre.com.