MIKRON Theatre Company has reached its 50th anniversary fundraising target in less than three weeks.

The Yorkshire theatre company, which has performed regularly in Keighley for more than three decades, raised more than £48,000 to help stage their 50th year of touring in 2021.

Mikron Theatre Company had been touring the UK’s canals, rivers and roads for the past 48 years but had to cancel their entire 2020 season due to the Coronavirus outbreak.

Artistic director Marianne McNamara said: “We are absolutely humbled by the support we have received. It is testament to not only how valued the company is, but also to the work we have done for the last 50 years.

"We've had letters and emails from all over the world; Texas, Catalonia and the Netherlands and of course every corner of the country from Cornwall to Cromarty, saying how much Mikron means to them and that they couldn't see us miss out on our 50th year of touring.

"Every penny raised over the minimum amount we needed for the appeal will, of course, be used wisely, and carefully.

"We have Tyseley, our narrowboat to keep shipshape, and we will be able to continue our aims of developing new writers, directors and creatives for the future of Mikron and the industry as a whole."

Based in the village of Marsden, at the foot of the Yorkshire Pennines, Mikron Theatre Company are like no other. They tour for most of the year on board a vintage narrowboat.

They on their shows in places that other theatre companies wouldn’t dream of; a play about growing-your-own shown in allotments, a play about bees performed next to hives, a play about chips to audiences in a fish and chips restaurant, as well as plays about hostelling in YHA Youth hostels and the RNLI at several Lifeboat stations around the UK.

Next year Mikron plan to tour two new shows; Amanda Whittington’s Atalanta Forever which tells the story of women's ffootball in the 1920s, and Polly Hollman’s  canine comedy caper A Dog’s Tale.

Since being were formed in 1972, Mikron have written 64 original shows, composed and written 384 songs, issued over 236 actor-musician contracts, spent 30,000 boating hours on the inland waterways, covered 530,000 road miles, performed over 5060 times and performed to over 428,000 people. 

Visit mikron.org.uk/appeal in order to donate.