THE COUNTDOWN to the return of a major theatrical festival has begun.

A festival hub was launched in Darlington today (Thursday, September 18) ahead of the upcoming Jabberwocky Market.

The Jabberwocky Market will return to the town for the third time in October, bringing with it a host of high-calibre theatrical activities and events.

The internationally renowned festival will see performers and artists take over the streets and venues of Darlington in a bid to bring more cutting-edge, world class theatre to North-East audiences.

The Hub, based in the town’s covered market, will host regular performances in the run up to the event, which will take place from Thursday, October 2 until Sunday, October 5.

The launch today saw producers, volunteers and young artists – including actors from Darlington’s Polam Hall school and Palestinian poet Nader Al Hussein - gather to perform and share information about the festival, which has attracted a large and loyal following since its debut event in 2013.

Darlington-born festival producer Caroline Pearce said: “The hub is an opportunity for anyone interested to know more about Jabberwocky Market to come along and see what we’re all about.

“We’ll have daily performances from young people and some well known stage faces, all in the run up to the opening day.

“We’ll be bringing a lot of fun and excitement to the covered market.”

The festival, which takes place at a variety of venues throughout Darlington, will open with a premiere of dancer-choreographer Debbie Waistell’s Solas Fae, a show for children and families about love, loss and Christmas.

It will also feature a moving performance of the politically charged Ballad of the Burning Star, an autobiographical production telling the story of an Israeli man brought up in a Jewish settlement built in occupied Palestine.

Other highlights include Dead to Me, a new show by Darlington-born actor and playwright Gary Kitchen, who brings the show to his home-town fresh from a successful season at Edinburgh’s Fringe Festival.

Families and children can enjoy entertainment including a live adaptation of Oliver Jeffer’s award-winning story, The Incredible Book Eating Boy, which will be performed for just two people at a time.

A full programme of live theatre, music, workshops and entertainment can be found at jabberwockymarket.org.uk.