Theatre in the Quarter, Chester’s well known theatre company, is recruiting young men and women to perform as First World War soldiers for its ambitious performance project called Over By Christmas.

As part of Cheshire’s centenary commemorations of the start of the First World War, the company will be touring many of the county’s railway stations to recreate the initial optimism of the start of the war.

In 1914, soldiers, officers and Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) nurses left their towns and villages in Cheshire to head for the western front, and many never returned.

Theatre in the Quarter artists have become experts at creating exciting musical theatre events in unusual spaces.

The Giant’s Opera drew more than 8,000 people to Chester’s amphitheatre and Tatton Park during the Olympic period, where more than 700 performers of all ages from across Cheshire delighted the crowds.

Later that year, the company drew sell out audiences to Chester’s Town Hall for an evocative production of A Christmas Carol.

Meanwhile its youth theatres have created innovative work in a variety of unconventional spaces including the city’s unique Rows, the cathedral grounds and the atmospheric magistrates court at the town hall.

Artistic director Matt Baker explained that the project is expected to be incredibly well supported as it tours to stations which include Chester, Delamere, Little Sutton, Frodsham, Helsby, Ellesmere Port, Northwich as well as many stations as far away as Stockport and Stalybridge.

He said: “The people of Cheshire who bid farewell will be performed by specially formed choirs across the county, who are already in rehearsal learning the songs from that time, many of which will have been sung back in 1914.

“But we are now looking for confident singers and performers who can play the soldiers and nurses who left Cheshire in 1914.”

Rehearsals will take place in May, June and July, with the performances taking place mainly at weekends throughout September.

Successful applicants may also have the opportunity to perform at the prestigious commemorative ceremony at Tatton Park on August Bank Holiday weekend.

Matt and the artistic team will be holding informal auditions for any men and women between the ages of 16 and 25 who would like to take part in this once in a lifetime opportunity to perform across Cheshire in September.

The auditions will be held on Tuesday, May 6 from 6pm in Chester.

Matt is also interested in any people who play portable instruments like trumpets, trombones, string instruments or woodwind or even accordions and banjos.

Anyone who is interested in taking part should contact Julie at Julieelston09@aol.com or by calling 07747 110933 for more information.