Britain’s only touring theatre ship is set to hoist it’s anchor this summer for Walk the Plank’s annual tour of the UK with a production of the world’s most famous nautical tale Noah’s Ark, written specially for performance on board.

The ship will take its theatrical magic to ports and harbours throughout Scotland from June to September as part of a four month national tour. Kicking off at the Celtic European Festival of the Sea in Northern Ireland, the ship will then sail up to Scotland for it’s debut on the 16th June in Lerwick, then on to Lochinver, Kirkcudbright, The Glasgow River Festival, Larne, and Oban.

The Fitzcarraldo, owned and operated by Walk the Plank for the last 14 years, is a former Norwegian cargo and passenger ferry, which has been transformed into a unique touring theatre. Her crew includes actors, technicians and stage managers as well as the Captain, Mate and Engineer. The team all live and work onboard, with the actors learning to heave ropes and scrub the decks and the Captain helping to rig lights and fly scenery.

Flooding, feuding and dynamic performance combine as the story of Noah’s Ark is brought to life with a contemporary twist. Walk the Plank’s production tells the tale of Noah’s grandchild who, left in control of the helm, finds herself tangled up in the chains of evolution. The show features a cast of caged monkeys; all-singing, all-dancing, all-smoking lab rats; and a power-crazed parrot who’s cloning animals in the cargo holds.

The intimate theatre on the aft deck creates an atmospheric setting for this creaking, ramshackle story of an Ark, along with wonderful puppetry and music which all combine to create a family show.

Walk the Plank have developed a reputation for bringing great sea stories to life – often combining new writing with fantastic special effects created using more imagination than big budgets. The company has offered many children and young people their first opportunity to experience live theatre, and one which they will never forget as they have to climb the gangplank on one of the most unusual vessels in the country.