Stan's Cafe - River Tours: The Avon

1 day ago
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3m long tapestry traces the river’s path. Photo courtesy of Stan's Cafe.

Midlands-based theatre company Stan’s Cafe have announced the dates for their latest production, River Tours: The Avon - with performances across Worcestershire, Warwickshire and Birmingham (1-16 Aug 2026), including a visit to the Royal Shakespeare Company, in Stratford-upon-Avon.

The poetic production floats visitors through centuries of history, folklore and wildlife, from the River Avon’s source in Northamptonshire to its union with the River Severn at Tewksbury, and features a remarkable collection of characters and unexpected stories, as well as moments of everyday life, past and present.Lively, witty and fascinating stories – which range from historical facts to personal anecdotes - are recounted by actor/storyteller Kathryn Hanke beside a specially commissioned three metre long textile map tracing the course of the great river.

Created by Warwickshire-based Studio Mead (aka Ellie Carr-Smith and Molly Acacia Hughes) using screen printing and tufting techniques, the colourful detailed tapestry is filled with illustrations. These have been inspired by the stories collected by the Stan’s Cafe project team, who worked closely with communities and groups across Warwickshire and Worcestershire to bring together a rich archive of tales.

Opening on Saturday 1 August 2026, in Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire, River Tours: The Avon then travels just over the Worcestershire border to Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire (Sun 2 Aug), before returning to Warwickshire for stop-offs in Willoughby (Wed 5 Aug), Luddington (Fri 7 Aug), Shottery (Sat 8 Aug) and Hampton Lucy (Sun 9 Aug).

The tour then continues to Pershore, Worcestershire (Tue 11 Aug AM) and Bidford on Avon, Warwickshire (Tue 11 Aug PM), before concluding with five performances at The Royal Shakespeare Company, in Stratford-upon-Avon (Fri 14-Sun 16 Aug). In addition, the production also winds into Birmingham for two performances (Thu 6 Aug, Stan’s Cafe’s Our Facility; Thu 13 Aug, Edgbaston Reservoir).

River Tours: The Avon is the sixth instalment of Stan’s Cafe’s ongoing River Tours project, which has previously visited The Thames, The Lune, The Indus, The Severn and the Volga.

Supporting the Avon project are the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) and the community groups they work with, along with Live & Local.

A section of the tapestry. Photo courtesy of Stan's Cafe.

LISTINGS: RIVER TOURS: THE AVON

Saturday 1 August 2026 Cherington & Stourton Show, Stourton & Sutton-under-Brailes Hall, Shipston-on-Stour CV36 5HG 2.30pm.
Sunday 2 August 2026 Tewkesbury Abbey, Church Street, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire GL20 5RZ 6.30pm.
Wednesday 5 August 2026 Willoughby Village Hall, Main Street, Willoughby, Rugby, Warwickshire CV23 8BH 7.30pm.
Thursday 6 August 2026 Our Facility, Stan’s Cafe Theatre, Umberslade Road, Birmingham B29 7RZ 7.30pm.
Friday 7 August 2026 Luddington Village Hall, Luddington Road, Luddington, Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 9SD 2pm.
Saturday 8 August 2026 Brook Arts Hub, 24 Cottage Lane, Shottery, Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 9HH 2.30pm.
Sunday 9 August 2026 Hampton Lucy Parish Field, Hampton Lucy C of E Primary School, Church Street, Hampton Lucy, Warwickshire CV35 8BE 1.30pm.
Tuesday 11 August 2026 Pershore Riverside Centre, King Georges Way, Pershore, Worcestershire WR10 1QU 11am.
Tuesday 11 August 2026 Bidford Community Library, Bramley Way, Bidford on Avon, Warwickshire B50 4QG 7.30pm. Thursday 13 August 2026 Birmingham Settlement Nature and Wellbeing Centre, Edgbaston Reservoir, 79 Selwyn Road, Birmingham B16 0SL 2.30pm.
Friday 14 August to Sunday 16 August 2026 Royal Shakespeare Company, The Dell, Southern Lane, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire CV37 6BB Fri 3pm, Sat & Sun 11am & 3pm.