YORK THEATRE ROYAL AND EXPLORE YORK LIBRARIES AND ARCHIVES ANNOUNCE SUMMER PETTICOAT HUNT.
York Theatre Royal and Explore York Libraries and Archives have joined forces to launch a competition which will encourage visitors to libraries to scour the shelves for more than just books and hunt a red petticoat. Where’s the Petticoat? will take place at libraries across York for four weeks, starting on Monday 20 July.
The red petticoat is in reference to the iconic moment in E. Nesbit’s classic novel The Railway Children where the children avert disaster using their flannel underclothes as flags. This scene also forms one of the most spectacular scenes in the York Theatre Royal production of The Railway Children which is returning to the National Railway Museum from 31 July.
If visitors find the petticoat in any one of the fifteen libraries in the Explore York Libraries and Archives group, including the Reading Cafes and mobile library, they will be entered into a draw each week to win a pair of tickets to the show. The petticoat will travel around the city and will be found at different locations throughout the four weeks.
Where’s the Petticoat? runs in conjunction with Explore York Libraries and Archives Summer Reading Challenge. All children aged 5 and over are challenged to read six books over the summer holidays. The challenge was launched on Saturday 11 July with a Readaloudathon at Explore York, a marathon read-aloud session from 8am to 8pm. The Railway Children cast member Martin Barrass who plays the role of Mr Perks took part and read the nail-biting red petticoat chapter to a rapt audience.
Frances Postlethwaite, Children’s Librarian said:
It is great to be working with York Theatre Royal on the Where’s the Petticoat? competition. I know the children in our libraries love treasure hunts and tickets to their production of The Railway Children make a fantastic prize. We really appreciate this support for the Summer Reading Challenge, which has proven to be very important in helping children to become confident readers as well as helping them to love books and reading.
The Railway Children, returns to its original home at the National Railway Museum in York from 31 July 2015 until Saturday 5 September. Tickets are priced between £10 and £32.50 and can be bought by calling the Box Office on 01904 623568, securely online at yorktheatreroyal.co.uk or in person at York Theatre Royal’s Box Office in De Grey Rooms on St Leonard’s Place. Entry to the National Railway Museum and the Playing Trains Exhibition is free.