Will the ship full of fools sink or swim in this mad sea adventure at Hat Factory?

When the mad-houses became full, they put them on ships instead, and the ‘bedlam ships’ were born.

Inspired by these “ships full of fools”, award-winning theatre company Spike Theatre’s 15th anniversary production tells the tale of three men and their maddening struggles at sea.

Sink or Swim is the insanely funny story, based mainly on fact but with a large sprinkling of fiction, and uses comedy, music and drama to bring the sea to life.

Three hapless prisoners of the bedlam ships find themselves running for the lifeboats when they come under attack and their ship - The Sea Venture - is sunk. As the icy dawn breaks, and with only a single oar, they find themselves alone and going around in circles.

Spike Theatre’s artistic director Mark Smith said: “We are really proud to have achieved 15 years of national and international touring and to be producing our 15th show makes us especially happy. Sink or Swim tackles the idea of what you are willing to do to survive. Will you Sink or Swim? The madness of three men, stuck in a lifeboat, all at sea and wondering if they’re going to live is an allegory of these times and seemed apt to put on stage in these times of cuts and austerity.”

The cast includes Shaun Mason (Macbeth, Billy Wonderful, Clockwork Orange), Graham Geoffrey Hicks (RAW Theatre, Unity Theatre) and Paul Duckworth (Brookside, Beating Berlusconi, Reds and Blues) as the sailors all at sea.

The production features an original music score, stop motion animation, inflatable sculpture, clown and bold storytelling. At The Hat Factory on March 1 at 7.30pm. Suitable for ages 12 and over.

Tickets £3- £10, call the box office on 01582 878100.