BLUE Apple Theatre is asking Winchester residents to contribute to its next production, which will be staged in December.

Despite having only recently completed the three-night run of its summer show, “Changes”, at Theatre Royal Winchester, the Winchester-based theatre company is now looking ahead to its winter production, entitled “A King’s City Christmas”.

The new show intends to explore what the city is like at this special time of year and writer/director Richard Conlon is asking for people to share their thoughts, feelings and opinions.

Mr Conlon said: “Blue Apple will be spending the coming year reflecting on what is special about this place that so many of our regular performers call ‘home’. Particularly for our winter show, we want to discover what is distinctive about this place and then reflect this back to our audiences. I think our actors and audiences will benefit from the authenticity of hearing real words from real people.”

The ambitious theatre company, whose performers are talented people with learning disabilities, wants to make sure that the show represents the many different voices that can be found in Winchester: from young people to older residents; from those who were born and raised locally to newer arrivals; and from people with spending power to those on budgets.

Mr Conlon added:"Having many contributions will help to make a true representation of the city during the Christmas period. Is it universally wonderful, or does the ‘season to be merry’ just make some people feel frustrated or even excluded?

"We’re looking for people’s thoughts from all sorts of perspectives and we’re prepared to be surprised by anyone who comes forwards. This is a special adventure were going on, trying to find the soul of a city, and we hope that the city will help us succeed.”

During the development of the show, Mr Conlon intends to meet people and record conversations that will make up part of the show.

Anyone who would like to take part can either email theatre@blueappletheatre.com, or send a written contribution by post to: Blue Apple, The Tower at Kings’, Romsey Road, S022 5PD.