Hertfordshire County Council’s library service will be hosting Librarian Theatre’s original production of Alice in the Cuckoo’s Nest at Watford Central Library on Sunday, February 4.

The experimental performance is a new adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, which reimagines the original story in the setting of a mental health hospital.

Actors Tom Cuthbertson and Kelly Eva-May set up Librarian Theatre as a not-for-profit company in 2015, with their performance of Hamlet in 2016 also touring Hertfordshire Libraries.

Although this year’s show is family friendly, it differs quite significantly from Walt Disney’s 1951 film version.

Tom explains: “We’re not shying away from the darker sides of the subject matter. But nor will there be overly explicit content which would exclude younger audience members. Hopefully audiences of all ages will take something away from it, and it will help fuel important conversations about mental health.”

Terry Douris, cabinet member for education, libraries and localism, comments: “We are thrilled that Librarian Theatre is bringing their shows back to Hertfordshire County Council’s libraries for a third year in a row. The performances are a great example of a unique way to use libraries and engage with the community, and this particular performance shares a very important message about mental health.”

Librarian Theatre aims to work together with the library sector to provide accessible, affordable, high quality theatre to local communities, whilst using their tours as a chance to promote and protect public library services, reading and literacy.

Visit librariantheatre.com