Harlow dance group invited to perform at festival in China

The festival in October will be the theatre company's first international tour

A dance and theatre group has said it will become the first from Britain to perform at China's annual Wuzhen Theatre Festival.

Rhiannon Faith Company, based at Harlow Playhouse in Essex, said it would perform its show DROWNTOWN at the festival next month.

The show uses autobiographical testimonials to tell a story about social deprivation in the UK.

The artistic director said it was a huge moment for her.

Not least, Rhiannon Faith explained, because she did not go on an aeroplane until she was 20.

Rhiannon Faith said she researched social deprivation in Jaywick, Clacton-on-Sea and Great Yarmouth

"It was always a dream to create work that might one day travel and I always held on to the idea that maybe that's how I would get to see the world," said Ms Faith, who is also the show's choreographer.

"I am so grateful for this opportunity to meet new international audiences and to see parts of the world I never thought I would."

The group took DROWNTOWN - which benefitted from Arts Council England funding - on tour earlier this year.

Wuzhen is an historic waterside town in the Zhejiang province

Ms Faith said she spent time researching for the production in Jaywick and Clacton-on-Sea, both in Essex, and Great Yarmouth in Norfolk.

Her company has collected various National Dance Awards nominations in recent years.

Its performance in historic Wuzhen in the Zhejiang province, at the festival which started 10 years ago, will be the theatre group's first international tour.