A BRAND new in-house theatre will open at The Horse and Bamboo Theatre this weekend as part of its 30th anniversary celebrations.

The touring company, formed in 1978, is launching the Boo theatre space at its Waterfoot headquarters to mark the start of a new era for the company, which began life as a small scale touring amateur theatre pulled around by horses.

Sunday starts off the Autumn and Winter season with a series of puppetry, film and storytelling performances. The first show, is Storm in a Teacup.

The line-up includes a season of in-house plays bringing two shows a month funded by Lancashire County Council and The Arts Council.

The theatre's distinctive style uses masks, music, puppetry, and imager to create a largely non-verbal and highly visual form of story-telling.

"Boo" marks the first of a host of changes to the company, which has become the leading mask and puppet theatre in the UK, with the aim of becoming more widely recognisable in various sectors.

Adult puppetry and open days as well as professional training courses will now be held at the Waterfoot venue in Bacup Road.

The season at Boo runs until December before the anniversary touring production Veil, written and directed by company founder and artistic director, Bob Frith kicks off in January calling at all its usual venues across the UK.

For tickets to any of the performances contact the box office on 01706 220241.

Visit www.horseandbamboo.org for more details.