Nothing but the theatrical facts

On Friday, Cambridge Touring Theatre presents the Charles Dickens classic Hard Times.

To mark the 200th anniversary of his birth, Nick Ellis has been performing the novel at theatre venues across the UK.

Following on from his successful tour of Pirate Jenny, Nick becomes the many voices of Hard Times, including Gradgrind and the overbearing Mr Bounderby.

A seasoned musician and performer, he delivers the story backed up by his own images and his own original music.

Tickets are £15, available from the Harpenden Public Halls box office on 01582 767525.

Then on Saturday at 3pm, Tip of the Iceberg Productions presents The Incredible Story by the Boy Who Didn’t Like Books.

Ben doesn’t like reading and prefers his game consoles, his TV and his iPod Touch.

Flinging his books aside the pages become muddled, the characters lost and the descriptions a disaster.

Ben becomes the hero of the story as the adventure unfolds, but he cannot reach his happy ending alone and he will need some help!

Well known characters from popular stories bring the magic of reading to life, in a fast-paced, fun and educational performance.

Tickets for both shows are available from the box office on 01582 767525 or from the website at www.harpendenpublichalls.co.uk