A CLASSIC tale will be given a new twist by a critically acclaimed theatre company appearing in Northwich on Thursday, July 16.

The Pantaloons will take on Jane Austen's much-loved literary masterpiece Pride and Prejudice when they return to the walled garden at Arley Hall and Gardens.

The Pantaloons are known for their anarchic retellings of classic works of literature having previously put a hilarious spin on Bleak House, Sherlock Holmes, The Canterbury Tales, Grimm Fairy Tales, A Christmas Carol and many of Shakespeare’s plays.

"We are known for being somewhat silly," said writer and director Mark Hayward.

"But we will stay faithful to what it is that people love about the book in the first place.

"This production will hopefully give Austen fans what they are looking for in a staging of Pride and Prejudice – the romance, the scandals – whilst at the same time providing a great introduction to those who are new to the story and also interweaving the elements that make a show intrinsically Pantaloony."

The Pantaloons began life 10 years ago as an open-air theatre company, busking plays for donations in parks and on the streets, where they developed an attention-grabbing, interactive and playful performance style.

"We characterise our work as post-modern folk theatre," said Hayward.

"We take well-loved tales and give them a contemporary twist, making them accessible for new audiences and showing seasoned fans something that they perhaps had not seen in them before."

The Pantaloons have picked up plenty of loyal followers and a lot of critical acclaim and have quickly become one of the country’s most prolific touring companies – and even they’re not entirely sure how and when that happened.

"We seem to have even slipped under our own radar," said Hayward.

The outdoor performance starts at 7pm and tickets are £14.50 for adults and £5 for children.

For more information visit thepantaloons.co.uk