TOURING theatre group The Jay Walkers hit the road again this month with its production of Blue Remembered Hills by Dennis Potter.

The play was originally set in Potter’s home area of the Forest of Dean, but the Jay Walkers have transposed the setting to Skipton and begin the play with a scene which uses the traditional Craven Herald feature of "50 years ago".

Five adults, aged 57, read the newspaper in 1993 and then go back to replay the summer of 1943 when they were all seven years old.

Originally staged as a Play For Today, it starred well-known names such as Helen Mirren, Robin Ellis (Poldark) Michael Elphick and Colin Welland. It has become a real classic of its time.

It suits the Jay Walkers well as it has their familiar mix of comedy and tragedy, skilfully brought together in an intimate setting, which features a piece of rural woodland which is close to a prisoner of war camp.

Although true of the Forest of Dean, this description also perfectly fits Skipton. Overdale Park adjoining Skipton Woods was used as a camp for PoWs in World War Two.

The Jay Walkers aims to perform high quality theatre in community halls around the Dales.

Artistic director Jamesine Cundell Walker said: "The group is lucky to have a such a large number of talented and committed actors to draw upon. They are so versatile.

"Two of the leading actors in this piece have taken a leap from playing old men with memory loss and incontinence, to this time playing active seven year olds! The whole cast also relish the opportunity to be up close and personal with the audience and this always brings an additional power to the productions."

The play last weekend played Burnsall and Skipton, and will be at Cononley Institute tomorrow (October 9) and Grassington Octagon on Saturday. Both performances start at 7.30pm and tickets can be obtained at thejaywalkers.co.uk or by ringing 01756 760302.

Blue Remembered Hills may continue at additional venues if there is demand from other village hall committees. All halls need to do is open the door and provide refreshments.

The Jaywalkers walked off with five awards from last year’s Wharfedale Festival of Theatre after finishing with runner-up awards for the previous two years.

The prize-winning play was Not About Heroes, performed to commemorate the First World War and portraying a wartime meeting between Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen while they were both in hospital suffering from shell shock.