The Merlin Theatre in Frome is excited to announce that it will be hosting a live Q-and-A with one of this country's most ground-breaking and acclaimed contemporary theatre directors, as a part of its autumn programme.

Emma Rice will join the Merlin audience, staff and volunteers to talk about her work and to take your questions, following a live-recorded showing of her bawdy, joyous production Wise Children on October 26.

Opening to rave reviews in 2018 and featuring a talented ensemble cast, the show is tale of family, scandal and mischief described as "pure, unadulterated theatre", which takes the audience on a rollercoaster ride of emotion.

Formerly artistic director of Shakespeare's Globe (2016/18), Emma Rice hails originally from the West Country.

Having studied professional acting at the prestigious Guildhall School of Music and Drama, she returned to the South West to work with Exeter's community and children's touring company Theatre Alibi.

An important and influential part of her professional growth, Emma said that the emphasis placed on storytelling by Theatre Alibi "...changed my life. Children's work taught me a lot of skills and beliefs that I am absolutely bound to even to this day".

Emma's career went on to see her join Cornwall's renowned Kneehigh Theatre where she worked as a performer initially but, always keen to make creative contributions, she became more involved in devising work and supervising rehearsals until starting to direct her own first production, The Itch.

Emma continued to direct for the company and it was finally her landmark and long-running production of The Red Shoes that cemented her reputation as an outstanding theatre-maker.

She became joint artistic director at Kneehigh where her visually stunning, inventive and often subversive work still echoes in the company's style and reputation today.

Her wealth of work over these years saw her direct shows in association with the RSC, the National Theatre, Battersea Arts Centre, Bristol Old Vic, Sadler's Wells and Theatre Royal Stratford East, to name only some.

Emma's warm, witty and anarchic style brought her inevitably to create and lead new theatre company Wise Children in April 2018.

An Arts Council England Portfolio Organisation, based in Bristol, Wise Children (also the name of the show being screened at The Merlin) create and produce world-class innovative ensemble touring theatre.

It is with immense pride that the Merlin Theatre will welcome Frome and area audiences to meet Emma Rice on Saturday October 26.

Tickets for the showing of Wise Children at 7pm, followed by a Q-and-A, are available via the red button below or from the box office on 01373 465949.