A GROWING theatre company is developing its circuit of rural venues by bringing a piece of contemporary dynamite to local stages.

Lancaster-based Freerange Theatre Company, in its second year of touring, is performing a world-premier tour of a Hollywood screenwriter's award-winning Script - Absence.

With five-theatre excellence awards to its name, Absence also secured the American Drama Critics Association "Best Play of the Year" award, when premiered in Detroit as The Hole in 1999.

In the aftermath of '9.11', part of it was re-written,bringing playwright Wendy Hammond's work bang up to date

It is an enduring love story from the 1940s to the present day, influenced by global events.

Freerange was formed to take theatre to rural communities in Lancashire and Cumbria, and is growing fast with support from partners such as Arts Council England, Lancashire County Council, Lancaster City Council, Esme Fairbairn Foundation and CVR we have extended our touring circuit from 4 venues last summer, to 18 venues for this Spring tour.

Absence is being performed at St Martin's College, Bowerham Road, Lancaster, at 7.30pm on Wednesday, May 21, at 7.30pm.

Other venues include: Glasson Dock Village Hall (Friday, May 9), Arkholme Village Hall (June 6), Lancaster Gregson Centre (June 10) and Caton Victoria Institute (June 14).

For further details of ticket prices and tour dates, contact Freerange Theatre Company on 01524 677.