This is The Hive, a spanking-new landmark building which now graces the cityscape of Worcester.

The Hive has been built house the City Library and Archives and will be officially opened next week by the Queen. In the meantime though, ground floor zones will be animated this friday/saturday by Vamos Mask Theatre – directed by my pal from old Red Shift days, Rachael Savage.

Offal Tales is a celebration of the history of this site, adjacent to The (medieval, ‘extra-mural’) Butts and occupied more recently by the old Cattle Market. The show script has been developed from Historian Justin Hughes’s interviews with local elders, in particular the Jones twins (Elsie & Josie – who grew up in Netherton Lane, under the shadow of the railway viaduct which sweeps down to cross the Severn) and Cyril Cale, the Cattle Market foreman between the 1930’s and 60’s. By chance, the interview with him was conducted a year ago today and sadly since then Cyril has passed on. This year, he would have been a hundred, but his recollections of running the Market and of winding up the market clock are a priceless legacy. I have the honour of embodying some of those memories this coming weekend when, as Mr.Cale himself, I lead audiences through enacted scenes which glimpse at the old life of this place.

The Hive promises to be quite a striking addition to the City, and ‘Offal Tales’ is a good (+ free) excuse to come over and peek at the glitzy interiors before the Queen gets a chance.

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