PITCHED somewhere between Emmerdale and Spitting Image, Fred’s Microbrewery is a new one-woman comedy show by York puppeteer Freddie Hayes, premiered at this summer’s Great Yorkshire Fringe.

Billed as the world’s “first Puppet-in-a-Pub theatrical experience”, it tells the story of Yorkshireman and pub landlord Fred, a very grumpy puppet, who works alongside his bitter and twisted, loud and raunchy wife, Sharon.

On tap on various dates between July 21 and 26 at The Teapot, the show has a £10 ticket price that includes a pint of Yorkshire cask ale, as the dynamic duo go about serving beer and banter to punters, along with pub games and working men’s club humour.

“I created the show for my love of pubs and puppets and all things Yorkshire,” says Freddie, whose performing talents take in her tour-guide role as Lady Peckett on the Bloody Tour Of York.

“I’ve been experimenting and testing material for Fred's Microbrewery, doing a lot of open-mic nights, and it’s going to be a very Yorkshire show!”

To create Fred’s Microbrewery, this graduate of the Royal Central School of Speech and co-director of York’s Strut Club Cabaret has teamed up with renowned puppet director Steve Tiplady, who has directed for Shakespeare’s Globe and Royal Opera House and was a puppeteer for The Mighty Boosh.

“I worked with Steve in the children’s show, The Hunting Of The Snark, at the Little Angel Theatre in Islington, and we took it on tour to various schools and festivals. I really enjoy his organic directing style, working from different games and improvisations in different ways, and making a show that isn’t just the script,” says Freddie.

“For this new show, I’ve written the script and we’re working on it in rehearsals for five days in the Southlands Studios. Working with Steve’s puppeteering skills, I wanted to focus back on the puppet and see what new movement I could create as comedy puppetry has not been done a lot lately.

“I want the audience to concentrate on the characters’ characteristics as I am so connected with these characters, having had them for two years, and I’m always talking about them as if they’re real.”

Fred and Sharon, two instantly recognisable, eccentric characters, could have been plucked from any old boozer in God’s own country. “I spend quite a lot of time in pubs and work in The Slip Inn in Clementhorpe at the moment: good for a bit of character research,” says Freddie.

“With a lot of characters who come into a pub, you can see them as a puppet, and I thought it would be a brilliant idea if that could materialise, turning them into puppets that have great stories to tell – and puppetry is a great way to tell a story.”

Freddie creates her own puppets in her Southlands art studio and calls on her Central School training on how to use her voice. “I’ve managed to find a Yorkshire, grouchy, old man’s voice for Fred, even though I’m only 23, so that’s quite a contrast!” she says.

Freddie Hayes: Fred’s Microbrewery, The Teapot, Parliament Street, York, July 21, 3.30pm and 4.15pm; July 23 and 24, 6pm; July 26, 4.45pm. Please note: Adult themes throughout.