A touring theatre group should have their audience on a string when they bring their tale of grandparents, British culture and tea-making to Farnham Maltings.

These themes will be explored by Smoking Apples Theatre when they lift the curtain on Three on Friday, July 12.

There’s a lot more to the production than people on stage as the guests are an award-winning puppetry and visual theatre company.

They have incorporated masks into the show for the first time to explore the family relationships of three neighbours and in a story that evocatively blends them with puppetry and storytelling to address the importance of intergenerational connections.

Audiences will be invited into the lives of three neighbours – an adventure-seeker turned grandmother, the head of an Indian family, and an ex-military man who enjoys the quiet life – who meet in the kitchen.

The trio share their experiences, endearing tales and uncover personal histories all while learning how to make the best cup of tea in a show full of dynamics.

The show’s co-director and script writer, Molly Freeman, said the company have seen their own family structures change and grow since development started in 2023.

She said: “We’re so excited to be making a new piece about these family dynamics, the beautiful moments but also the heartbreaking ones too.

“The puppetry is stunning, heartfelt and tender in moments but also raw and real in others. Mask is a new venture for us but there has been something so wonderful about seeing how we can bring youth to an aged face and vice versa. It’s a real visual treat.”

The 55-minute show will take place in the Tindle Studio at with ticket prices ranging from £5 to £16, to book visit https://farnhammaltings.com/events/three or call the box office on 01252 745444.