VILLAGE halls across Teesdale and Weardale bring wide ranging performances to their communities this spring including one show that goes with fish and chips for the audience.

In partnership with Highlights Rural Touring Scheme, the programme of new and world travelled shows ranges from comedy romps to affecting theatre, stories of love, revenge, displacement and survival alongside true accounts of a Polish tailor, the real muse behind Cabaret and an eccentric hermit who lived in a cave in Borrowdale.

The scheme embraces 13 village halls across County Durham and more than 60 venues in Cumbria and Northumberland.

Tonight, Barningham Village Hall has dark and beautiful fairytales for grown-ups, The Grateful and the Dead (tickets 01833 621203).

Tomorrow sees Muse by Juge Productions at The Witham in Barnard Castle. Set in the 1930s, it is based on the story of the Jean Ross, the real star behind the film Cabaret. Sophie Juge plays the single mother, political journalist and muse for the lyricist Eric Maschwitz. Her story is told to live cabaret style music and song (01833 631107).

Chip Shop Chips is a funny and nostalgic tale of two interwoven love stories which also celebrates the nation’s favourite food. Box of Tricks Theatre Company performs the play at Frosterley Village Hall on February 26 (01388 526632, tickets include fish and chips supper).

Mike Whellans brings his One Man Blues Band to Newbiggin in Teesdale Village Hall on Thursday, March 3, (01833 640608).

Dogstar Theatre's The Tailor of Inverness is an award-winning play telling the true account of how a boy who grew up on a farm in Galicia came to be a tailor in Inverness. It is staged at The Witham, Barnard Castle, on March 9 (01833 631107).

At Frosterley on April 8, Sonrisa plays A Taste of Latin music from South America, Spain, Cuba and Argentina. The audience will have the chance to try Latin percussion and dance moves (01388 526632).

On the same date Woody Holler and His Orchestra bring cowboy swing music to Cotherstone Village Hall (01833 650827).

Peter Macqueen appears in the one-man play The Professor of Adventure, based on the life of a hermit who sought freedom in the Lake District and lived in a cave on Castle Crag in Borrowdale. Set in 1941, it celebrates a unique outlook on life, philosophy and quest for freedom; Bowes and Gilmonby Parish Hall, April 14 (01833 628357).

The Matt Holborn Quartet performs swing and gypsy jazz inspired by Django Reinhardt and the Hot Club Jazz sound of 1930s' Paris on May 5 at Hamsterley Village Hall (01388 488323).

Inventive music by Belshazzar’s Feast on oboe, violin and accordion mixes folk, classical, jazz, pop and music hall at St Thomas Church Hall, Stanhope, May 12 (01388 528673); St Cuthberts Centre, Crook, May 14 (01388 765002); and St Mary’s Church, Wycliffe, May 26 (01833 627540).

Award-winning Canadian musician and songwriter Ian Sherwood plays folk melodies with intricate guitar loops, saxophones and pop, rock and jazz grooves, June 2, at Boldron Village Hall (01833 638210); and June 8 at St John’s School & 6th Form College Woodhouse Lane, Bishop Auckland (01388 603246).

For full details, visit highlightsnorth.