This summer a brand-new musical, The Shearing Gang, opens across Cornwall at venues in Liskeard, Falmouth and Penzance.

The show follows the fortune of five young people as they come to the county to work on farms across one long summer.

The Shearing Gang is written by long-time Archers stalwart, Graham Harvey, the creator of more than 600 episode of the long-running radio soap.

In advance of the show, the producers are working with local communities to share some of the components that have gone into making it.

Year 6 pupils from Upton Cross and Pensilva primary schools recently took part in a puppetry workshop with the puppet making team from the musical, to put on their own performance.

The workshop demonstrated bringing all sorts of inanimate items to life, and followed a recycling theme, with pupils creating puppets from a pile of discarded household waste. BBC Radio Cornwall’s Claire Rowley popped in for a chat, recording snippets of their fantastic shows.

Another workshop combined puppetry skills and percussion, and was enjoyed by young adults in Redruth supported by the Real Ideas Organisation.

Writer Graham Harvey has also worked with community groups in both Liskeard and Redruth on writing workshops. He will be returning to the county when the production opens to take part in pre-show conversations about his work.

The show’s producers are keen to offer further workshops to local organisations throughout Cornwall. These are usually free and can be tailored to local groups’ requirements.

The Shearing Gang will be performed at Sterts Theatre in Liskeard from July 9 – 11 and 17 - 19, Trebah Garden on July 24 and 25 and Penlee House on the July 26 and 27.

For more details contact shearinggangcornwall@gmail.com