The Atkinson to host creative theatre show ‘The Story Forge’ this Thursday

An hilarious and chaotic stage show that allows children to make their own myths is coming to Southport this week – with no two performances ever the same! 

The Story Forge – Make Your Own Myth by Rubbish Shakespeare Company is at The Atkinson on Lord Street in Southport from 2.30pm on Thursday 17th April 2025. 

Tickets are £13 plus booking fee. 

Who is the God of dog poo bags? How did the microwave get its ping? What ancient crime was Yorkshire the punishment for… And why was it inflicted upon us?

Senior professors of history, and rather silly men, Lee Hithersay and Robert Rhys Bond, forge three new myths from the unhinged minds of their audience – and a boatload of cardboard props!

Will it be Greek? Viking? Ancient Babylonian? They haven’t a clue! That’s all up to you. Help shape the stories, and even become the hero yourself (if you want, no pressure) in this EPIC interactive experience.

The renowned Rubbish Shakespeare Company and Silly History Boys present a hilarious hour of high-octane adventure for children and childish adults. 

Featuring clowning, storytelling, live music and more. You’d be mad to myth it!

Reviews for the show have described it as ‘Horrible Histories on Steroids’. 

Lee Hithersay, one of the performers and the Artistic Director for the Rubbish Shakespeare Company, said: 

“The tour has been going really well! We have had some great reviews, and we’re really excited to be bringing this show to Southport.

“People have been calling it ‘bizarre, controlled chaos’! 

“It’s all down to the children in our audience to make their own myths. 

“You can never trust or guess what children are going to say or do! 

“We have had some amazing children in our shows. One girl in a recent show put up her hand and told us she was a giraffe, with her hand as the giraffe’s head. We were only allowed to talk to the giraffe. If we tried to talk to the girl, she wouldn’t reply. 

“No two shows are ever the same – definitely not! 

“It is constantly taxing the limits of our ingenuity, and it’s so much fun to be part of. 

“It is all very much in the moment and that’s what makes it so special. 

“I last played at The Atkinson in 2019, with A Rubbish Midsummer Night’s Dream. 

“We had the debut for the show at The Atkinson before we took it to the Edinburgh Festival. 

“I am really looking forward to going back, it’s a brilliant space and a great town. 

“We do Make Your Own Myth in three parts. The first part is about creating the myth for the place where we are – what are the origins of Southport? The children will help us to find out! 

“Next is the origin of an object, and we’ll need the support of the audience to find that. We’ll choose whenever we come across that we find interesting! 

“The final one is the hero’s story, when we invite a child to come on stage and we’ll make them into their own hero. 

“Usually it turns out to be hilarious chaos! 

“All our props are made from cardboard – we have cardboard shields, cardboards spears, cardboard swords, and a live musician who likes to interject in our stories, as well as leading some singalongs with the audience. 

“During the school Easter holidays, everyone needs to get out and enjoy days out! 

“This is a great way of bringing children into the theatre, making them involved and allowing them to shape their own myths. 

Book tickets on The Atkinson website.

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