IT HAS a new identity and now, a new production. Dark Horse is based at Huddersfield’s Lawrence Batley Theatre and is one of the UK’s leading theatre companies working with actors with and without learning disabilities.

It has built a reputation for its innovative and powerful stage productions and opens its new show on home ground in mid June.

The world premiere of its latest show, Harvest is set in a post-apocalyptic future where resources are scarce and relationships have reverted to a primal system of control.

It is, says the company, a terrifying story of desire, control and the power of society over the individual.

Harvest is a fast-paced drama, told through the company’s trademark mix of physical theatre, original music and dynamic story-telling.

It has been written and directed by the company’s artistic director, Vanessa Brooks and is aimed at a general, adult audience.

Harvest is the fifth new piece Vanessa has written for the company which she joined four years ago.

Since her arrival, the company has moved from collaboration with established theatres to become independent producers.

The company is also a national touring company which premieres and champions new writing.

An ensemble of learning disabled actors feature in the company’s productions and exceptional non-learning disabled actors from the broader industry are also cast in tours.

Harvest is the first show to have been created by the company since it adopted its new identity of Dark Horse. It was previously known as Full Body And The Voice.

The cast of Harvest is Mark Craven, Joanne Kempley, Ben Langford, Toby Meredith, Emma Langford and Joe Sproulle.

The new show runs at the Lawrence Batley Theatre on June 13 and 14 with performances at 1.30pm and 7.30pm.

Expect to see a performance which is innovative and powerful, which brings together text, music and physical performance to challenge and explore stories and ideas which reflect the human condition to an audience.

This is the company that has produced some of the most radical and thought-provoking theatre pieces seen at the LBT in recent times.

Not content with setting new levels with its ambitious and pioneering recent stage work, the company’s actors have been making their presence felt on television.

Eight Dark Horse actors featured in an episode of Shameless (Channel 4).

The company also delivers formal actor training for people with learning disabilities, which is now affiliated to and verified by ALRA (the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts).

Tickets for Harvest can be booked by calling Box Office: 01484 430528 or online at www.thelbt.org