A York theatre company aims to produce new work, starting with Terry Pratchett's Discworld Tale, Eric, reports CHARLES HUTCHINSON.

NOT content with appearing nightly for York Rose Open Air Theatre in The Canterbury Tales, Lee York is deep into rehearsals for his stage adaptation of Terry Pratchett's Eric, A Discworld Tale.

By night, York actor Lee is playing the Reeve in The Canterbury Tales at Clifford's Tower. By day he is directing the Pratchett world premiere, co-written with Scott Harrison for The Dreaming Theatre Production Company, in preparation for next Thursday's opening night.

"The Dreaming company is firmly York based and has been set up to promote new theatre writing and provide theatrical presentations in venues not normally associated with the theatre, although we will occasionally use traditional theatrical venues where appropriate," says Lee, who performs and directs under the stage name of Lee York but writes under his real name of Lee Harris.

"We produce only new plays or new adaptations of existing novels. To our knowledge, we're the only theatre company in the region dedicated to producing only original works in less-traditional venues, aimed at attracting a significant number of non-theatregoers to attend theatrical productions."

Future productions will include Robert Louis Stevenson's The Strange Case Of Doctor Jekyll And Mr Hyde; Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol; George Orwell's 1984; Robert Rankin's The Antipope; Lewis Carrol's Alice's Adventures In Wonderland; Bram Stoker's Dracula; and three original plays, Dick Turpin, Murder On The Menu (or Death, A La Carte) and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's A Study In Scarlet.

First up will be Terry Pratchett's Eric, with the aid of a lottery grant from the Arts Council of England and the authorisation of Pratchett himself.

In this tale of Discworld, failed demonologist Eric Thursley attempts to summon a demon to grant him what every red-blooded male teen wants: to live for ever, rule the world and have the love of the most beautiful woman who ever lived. Instead, 14-year-old Eric somehow summons Rincewind, the worst practitioner of wizard magic on the whole of the Discworld.

"Wizards, demons, magic, time travel and egg and cress sandwiches: what more could you want from a night at the theatre?" says Lee.

His cast comprises Peter Phillips, as Eric; Lee Ravitz, as Rincewind; John Buckeridge, Urglefloggah; Matthew Walker, Death and the Luggage; Aidan McCarthy, Astfgl, the King of Hell; Dave Hudson, the Creator; Judith Ireland, Elenor of Tsort; Kirsty McIntyre, the Parrot; and Andrew Welch, Duke Vassenego.

Eric, A Discworld Tale will run at Clifford's Tower from July 3 to 26, excluding Sundays, and is not suitable for very young children. Doors open at 7.15pm for the 7.30pm start, and tickets are available in advance at £10 from Travelling Man, Goodramgate, York; by telephone on 01904 628787; or online at www.thedreaming.co.uk. On the door, the price is £12.50.

In a third open-air show this summer at the tower, Chapterhouse Theatre Company will present Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet on August 9. Doors open at 6.30pm, and tickets cost £10, concessions £8, children £6, English Heritage members £1 off.

The Canterbury Tales concludes its run on Sunday. Access to Clifford's Tower is by 55 steep steps.

Updated: 10:40 Friday, June 27, 2003