A FARM famed for its long association with the iconic Herdwick and author Beatrix Potter played host to some very unusual guests recently.
Yew Tree Farm, Coniston, was visited by Heidi and Henrietta, two enigmatic ‘sheep’, who are part of a new and unusual production.
The Herdwick duo paid a visit to the farm to proudly show off their quintuplet lambs and promote their street theatre performance - Flock.
Flock is the latest production by Ulverston’s acclaimed Bread and Butter Theatre Company, inspired by their surroundings, and a lifelong love of all things Herdwick by company founder Garry Gifford.
Formed more than 25 years ago the Bread and Butter Theatre Company has performed at events all over the world, delivering its own brand of accessible street theatre.
Mr Gifford had always dreamed of creating his own ‘flock’ of iconic Lakeland sheep, and wanted to find a way of incorporating his love for the breed and all things Lake District into a unique walkabout street performance.
During the pandemic, his long bike rides in the central Lakes gave him the impetus to finally bring his ideas to life.
In 2021 he made an application to The Culture Recovery Fund to enable him to collaborate with master prop makers and puppeteers The Flying Buttresses to produce a family of Herdwicks, two adult sheep and a pram full of lambs.
Flock will be premiered at Another Fine Fest in Ulverston on Saturday, June 18 before heading out to pastures new.
The Herdwick inspired walkabout performance incorporates mime, dance, sound effects and music.
Mr Gifford said: “As a company we felt it was very important that Flock should be promoted within the beautiful landscape of the Lake District and where better than at the magnificent Yew Tree Farm near Coniston, where we got to meet and learn about the Herdwick sheep in their natural environment when we joined one of the farm’s “Herdwick Experiences.”
“The aim is not only to entertain people in our normal locations, which include town centres and festivals but to reach new audiences at the many rural events that run each year up and down the country, such as county shows and agricultural fairs.
“Where we hope our Herdwicks can bring a flavour of the Lake District to all corners of the UK and hopefully the world.”
Jo McGrath, founder of the Yew Tree Farm Herdwick Experience, said: “Bread and Butter Theatre Company’s performance of Flock will provide people from all walks of life with a fun and really interesting way of discovering the enigmatic Herdwick breed for themselves and also hopefully a little about the serenity and beauty of the Cumbrian fells in which they live and the traditional hill farms like ours, Yew Tree Farm, Coniston that care for the flocks.”
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