IT WAS an anniversary Mikron Theatre Company thought it might not see.

But next month the Marsden based company will mark a remarkable milestone, its 40th year of touring.

Few, perhaps even founder Mike Lucas, who celebrates his 70th birthday this year, could have forseen that a professional theatre company which tours by narrowboat would still be clocking up the miles four decades on.

Last year, that anniversary looked like it might be drifting away.

Having weathered other financial storms over the decades the company was determined to survive the current economic downturn. But the outlook was far from bright.

At last year’s annual meeting, the company’s general manager Peter Toon, said: “We knew that there was no way we could keep the company going with the amount of funding cuts we had sustained, but we were also certain of our loyal supporters and knew that they wouldn’t want to see us go forever.”

Mikron say it was this responsibility to its audiences that encouraged the company to pull out all the stops and launch its Ruby Appeal.

And the backing of its supporters has helped the company raise £36,000 which has ensured a successful tour in this, its Ruby year.

To mark this 40 year milestone, Mikron is throwing an anniversary party; the Ruby-Do, on October 23.

It has invited past actors and company members along with supporters and audience members from the last four decades.

It should be quite a party for over the years, the company has made many friends across the country and seen many of its actors, including Mark Williams of Harry Potter fame, become established in the theatre world, establishing long acting careers.

Mikron’s founder, Mike Lucas will be the guest of honour at the party where his contribution to the company will be recognised and applauded.

The Marsden celebrations, which start at 1pm, will include entertainment, a meal, commemorative gifts and, no doubt, a couple of pints and a fair bit of reminiscing.

The company is keen to hear from past actors, supporters and company members who would like to go along to the Ruby Do and people are also invited to get in touch with stories, photographs and memories.

Marianne MacNamara, the company’s Artistic Director says: “Many people feel a strong connection to Mikron and we’d like to offer a warm invitation to them to come and share the day.”

That day will doubtless include many stories about a company which since the early Seventies and its first production, Still Waters, have built up a national reputation for touring theatre where live shows were rarely seen.

This is the company that for many led the way taking shows packed with music, character and powerful stories to theatre to every conceivable type of venue; reaching audiences that other companies cannot.

In summer they tour the country’s waterways in a vintage narrowboat, Tyseley and in autumn, they take to the roads in a van.

Mikron employs four actors on tour and creates with them new drama, often about large scale subjects rooted in history but with a relevance to the world today.

Tickets for the Ruby Do are £25 and are available on line at www.mikron.org.uk.

If you would like to talk to any of the team at Mikron about the history of the company or the 40th year celebrations, please call 01484 843701.

Help them celebrate a remarkable milestone that should make all of us think about and value once again the work of companies such as Mikron, never more so than in the challenging times faced today.