The Yorkshire premiere of The Likes of Us at Cleckheaton Town Hall

Great Horton Theatre Company are leaving the Alhambra Theatre after nearly 50 years - but they are coming to Kirklees for the first time.

The good news is that one of the reasons for them doing so is their successful application to perform the Yorkshire premiere of the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice musical 'The Likes of Us' at Cleckheaton Town Hall.So, the oldest amateur musical society (established over 100 years) in Bradford is going to Kirklees for the first time!'

The Likes of Us' was written in the 60s, but was never performed on stage other than a recorded part-production at Lloyd Webber’s Sydmonton Festival in 2005. It has been released by The Really Useful Group (Lord Lloyd Webber's company) for selected 2009 amateur productions, prior to a West End staging in the next couple of years.

Having successfully secured the premiere for Yorkshire Great Horton Theatre Company, the production of six performances will take place from Tuesday June 9. The Likes Of Us contains 21 fully orchestrated numbers and tells the story of the life of Dr Thomas Barnardo, a man who was evangelical, entrepreneurial and philanthropic, and whose crusade to rescue children living on the streets became world renowned. Described as “a musical that has existed for 40 years hidden away from view”

The Likes of Us is Oliveresque in style and is best known for the much-quoted Tim Rice lyric: “Here I have a lovely parrot sound in wind and limb I can guarantee that there is nothing wrong with him.”

Why Cleckheaton Town Hall? Apart from the fact that it is an excellent venue, Great Horton is a south Bradford society and the measured distance from their rehearsal rooms (which are only 3 minutes drive from the M606) to Cleckheaton Town Hall is only four miles!

Tickets are priced from £5 to £14 (concessions available). Ticket hotline: 01484 223200.