IN the second of The Flanagan Collective's three autumn shows in York, Alexander Wright's international hit Fable will be performed for the first time in their home city tonight and tomorrow.

Premiered in 2015, Fable so far has been presented in Edinburgh, the Highlands, Greenwich and Adelaide and even transferred to Off-Broadway in New York. Now comes this evening's 7.30pm performance in the tent behind The Gillygate pub in Gillygate.

"The play was inspired by a chance meeting while on tour in the Highlands and was created to demonstrate the juxtaposition between modern living and how this is challenged by traditional values of happiness and fulfilment one can find away from the modern world," says Alex. "One chap who watched it in Australia promptly threw away his phone, quit his job and went travelling, which is kind of the message of the show.

"It's a story of trying to push through to the next day, and we've taken it to halls, theatres, pubs and at the back of pubs, where it feels like it reads differently wherever you do it."

Performed by Dominic Allen, Holly Beasley-Garrigan and musician Wilfred Petherbridge, with music by Jim Harbourne, Fable is based on a true story: Alex's encounter with a man called Blair in the Scottish Highlands. "We were touring our show Beulah around the Highlands and went into a pub in Ardfern where this chap just turned to me with very wild eyes and very wild hair and said, 'Are you actors?' and started reciting Rabbie Burns at me," he recalls.

"Blair was just a fascinating man, who in equal parts was filthy and offensive, philosophical, profound and beautiful. He's a tree surgeon and a poet, and after we finished our whiskies with him and went back to where we were staying, I immediately started to write down my thoughts."

The Flanagan Collective's autumn will continue with Wright's new adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, which will take to the streets from York Theatre Royal from November 3 to 26, setting off at 8pm each night.

Tickets for both productions can be booked on 01904 623568 or at yorktheatreroyal.co.uk