New production 60 Miles by Road or Rail to tell Northampton's untold stories from 1960s

This year rarely heard stories about Northampton town centre will be told at Royal & Derngate in October by county actors, in a show called 60 Miles by Road or Rail.

The production tells the tale of thousands of families who migrated to quickly to expanding Northampton, inspired by interviews from Northamptonians.

The show - which is on for four nights between 7 and 10 October - is named after a 1960s marketing campaign that advertised the town as being only 60 miles from London, by road or rail.

Founder and director Andy Routledge said: "It feels essential to be delivering an intergenerational project that places Northamptonian experiences at its heart.

"Our New Town heritage has played a complex yet fundamental role in the makeup of our town and its identity, yet we rarely talk about it.

"It was a period of sudden expansion, mass migration and political upheaval. As Northampton undergoes further financial adversity, political uncertainty, and new masterplans are unveiled for the regeneration of our town, it feels vital that we are coming together to question and strengthen our shared sense of civic identity in this unprecedented way."

In 1968 Northampton was designated a 'new town' as part of the government’s ‘masterplan’ for post-war revitalisation, presenting affordable new lives and housing estates.

Bosses say the community show comes at a time in 2020 where residents are facing countywide political and financial uncertainty with authorites.

Andy added: "While the project unashamedly prioritises our local experiences, I believe it will capture the moods and rhythms of many large towns up and down the country."

The show been supported by Arts Council England, National Lottery Heritage Fund, National Lottery Community Fund and Northamptonshire Community Foundation.