YORK Theatre Royal and Pilot Theatre’s summer community production, Everything Is Possible: The York Suffragettes, has nearly 300 people taking on many different roles on and off stage.

At rehearsals, the oldest and youngest actors met for a chat about their experiences so far: the oldest being Bernard Lyne, who is 84; while the youngest, Griffin Evans, turned six last week.

Everything Is Possible is Bernard’s third community production in York, having appeared in the 2012 York Mystery Plays in the Museum Gardens and in In Fog And Falling Snow at the National Railway Museum in 2015. Griffin, by comparison, is making his debut. "I can’t wait to get on stage," he said.

Asked if he had any words of wisdom for young Griffin, Bernard said: "Just enjoy it. There is nothing like appearing on this stage with all these people… and it’s one step closer to being famous!"

Community project co-ordinator Amber Rennison added: "Community theatre is so incredibly important to the people of York and to us at York Theatre Royal; it's such a fantastic opportunity for a wide variety of people to push boundaries and really get involved with something so relevant to the city’s history. You see real friendships forming and that is something I'm incredibly proud to be part of."

Barbara Marten, whose initial idea sparked Bridget Foreman's play, is performing the central role of Annie Seymour-Pearson in the previously untold story of the Suffragette movement in York in 1913, as woman across the country, outraged by inequality and prejudice, begin to rise up and demand change.

Heworth housewife Seymour-Pearson risks her life and her family to join the fight in York and she is not alone. Around the city, women run safe houses, organise meetings, smash windows and fire-bomb pillar boxes.

Everything Is Possible is directed by Theatre Royal associate director Juliet Forster and Pilot Theatre associate director Katie Posner, joined in the production team by historical advisor Professor Krista Cowman, designer Sara Perks, lighting designer Prema Mehta and composer Ivan Stott.

The performances will start outdoors before moving on to the Theatre Royal's main-house stage. Tickets for the June 20 to July 1 run are on sale on 01904 623568 or at yorktheatreroyal.co.uk