Storytelling, movement and a cast of vivid characters are set to come together in a captivating and compelling new production being presented by Storyhouse Young Company (SYC) next month.

Idyll will be staged in Storyhouse’s Garret Theatre on Friday and Saturday, 22-23 May 2026. Tickets are on sale now priced from £5.

Alice is falling in love. Harry has been sleeping in a tent in the garden. Tommy Scott has been blocking the road with hay bales again.

A map can tell you about the land, but it can’t tell you about the people who live there, so that’s what we’re here to do.

Idyll is set in a rural village on a scorching hot day in July. And another hot day means one thing – more visitors. Tempers fray and feelings bubble to the surface in a play which asks who has the right to call a place their own?

Idyll comes from award-winning playwright Matt Hartley (Sixty Five Miles, Eyam, Here I Belong). The production is directed by Anna Berentzen and features artwork by collage artist and designer Ali Vermilio.

SYC is a free actor training scheme for young people aged 18 to 25 and who live in Chester and the surrounding area. Funding comes from the Couch Foundation and audience donations.

Sixteen young people are recruited for each programme and undergo four months of training with a facilitator, during which they explore a rich variety of theatre practitioners and techniques. The training culminates in an additional intensive four-week rehearsal and production period with a professional director and creative team, leading to a production presented on the Storyhouse stage.

Idyll director Anna Berentzen says: “I’m extremely excited to be working with the Storyhouse Young Company on Idyll by Matt Hartley. It will be a chance for the company to showcase the skills they’ve learned while working for Storyhouse, in a play that is about community and belonging.

“It’s a brilliant opportunity to work with exciting, talented young artists in a theatre that values artist development.”

Producer Amy Tulley says: “Storyhouse Young Company is a free training opportunity for young local people aged 18 to 25, and it’s always inspiring to see the level of talent, commitment and creativity they bring.

“It’s particularly special to be able to nurture and showcase artists from across Chester and the surrounding community. This production is a real celebration of their work, and we can’t wait to share it with audiences.”

This year four graduates from the programme – Lewis Baron, Rachel Uyigue, Lauren Lees and Owen Ellis – will also be appearing in the 2026 Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre season as part of Storyhouse’s Trainee Actor Scheme.

Lottie Lazenby, Children & Young People Programme Manager at Storyhouse, says: “This is a full circle moment for the programme as SYC is funded significantly by our generous park audiences, in addition to the Couch Foundation. So if you’ve ever donated to Storyhouse, you have directly supported the training of a new generation of local actors that enrich the artistic scene in the North West.”

For more details visit www.storyhouse.com