NORTH Country Theatre has been commissioned to dramatise a Yorkshire episode from an Icelandic saga for this year’s Jorvik Viking Festival.

It will tell of a Viking marauder who, after many adventures, is washed up the Humber by a storm and falls into the hands of his old enemy Erik Bloodaxe.

Erik and his seductive Queen Gunnhild rule in tenth century York, and Egil appears to be for the chop, but a surprising skill with words rather than swords comes to his rescue.

North Country, based in Richmond, is well-known for adapting high adventure ripping yarns for the stage – The 39 Steps is still running in the West End and on Broadway.

In a similarly inventive way, Egil Skallagrimson Keeps his Head will use wit and theatrical invention to bring the clash of two fierce warriors to life – employed just four actors plus six oars and two benches.

“We were delighted to be asked to work with the worldfamous Jorvik Viking Festival,”

said director Nobby Dimon. “As well as our comedies, we have produced many dramas with local history connections, from Cartimandua, about the queen of the Brigantes, to Last Dance of a Dalesman, set in 1953, so the challenge of an epic saga with larger than life characters set in dark age Yorkshire was irresistible.”

The 25th Yorvik Festival runs from February 13-21 with events, workshops, re-enactments and music.

Egil Skallagrimson Keeps his Head will be performed at National Centre for Early Music in York on February 17 and 18. For more details and tickets, ring 01904-615505 or visit the festival website.