BADAPPLE Theatre Company are in the thick of rehearsals for The Frozen Roman!, a "very silly show about Romans and immigration".

Artistic director Kate Bramley will take to the road from April 25 in celebratory mood after her long-running Green Hammerton company received a substantial grant from Arts Council England for the forthcoming tour.

The future of these tireless purveyors of "theatre on your doorstep" had been shrouded in uncertainty last year, but the award of up to £27,421 towards the spring and summer performances of new comedy The Frozen Roman! "represents a significant investment in high-quality theatre for rural venues"

The Badapple team is justifiably thrilled," says writer-director Kate. "This Arts Council England backing for the community partnerships we have nurtured over the past decade means that we're now able to extend The Frozen Roman! project.

"We'll be able to accommodate more halls through June and again in September and October. So, if you have a local village hall, church hall, rural theatre, aircraft hangar or other suitable space, and would like to see it filled with theatre, then please get in touch now."

The Frozen Roman! follows a group of hapless villagers who regard plans for a new building development in their midst as a threat to their quiet way of life. A clandestine meeting at the pub turns heated as the villagers rack their brains for new ways to fight the development.

The discovery of an ancient Roman burial site under foot could throw them a lifeline if they can somehow authenticate the existence of their findings, but things are not always what they seem.

Would it be too far-fetched to presume the putative development of 3,000 houses at nearby "Great Hammerton" might possibly have inspired Kate's play?!

All will be revealed when the world première of The Frozen Roman! takes place on April 25 at 7.30pm at Stillingfleet Village Institute, near York, then tours nationally, with 41 dates in place so far. "Don’t miss this this timely new comedy as the situation goes 'ballisticus maximus;," says Kate.

"For the past 20 years, Badapple have been taking productions to the smallest of rural venues, and in doing so, providing the best of new theatre in the most unexpected of places. We're thrilled to be able to continue doing that."

The Frozen Roman! stars Jack Alexander and features original songs and music by Jez Lowe, a Sony Award -winning singer songwriter, who took part in the BBC Radio 2 Radio Ballads project and a 2017 BBC Radio 2 collaboration with writer Michael Morpurgo, Alone On A Wide Wide Sea, that featured Jason Donovan. Design is by long-term Badapple collaborator Catherine Dawn and lighting design is by John Bramley.

Full tour and ticket details can be found at badappletheatre.co.uk; Kate can be contacted via kate@badappletheatre.com