TOURING around the country showcasing your craft can always be rewarding for any performer. But the feel of a home town show always holds a special significance.

For Kate Ashmead and Martin Parsons the owners and husband and wife team behind Basingstoke-based Honalee Media, performing at the Haymarket brings a whole new level of excitement.

The duo bring their new show the Easter Bunny's Eggs Factor will be entertaining audiences at the Haymarket on Saturday, 7 April.

Having grown up in Basingstoke, studying at Oakridge Infant and Junior Schools and The Vyne, Ashmead told The Gazette that this show is extra exciting.

She said: “Even though we are touring nationally, it is exciting to be at our home town theatre and share our show with local children who have grown up around the same area as I have.”

Ashmead knows all about how supportive the Basingstoke community is after her father was mayor of Basingstoke and Deane between 1999-2000.

The new show is a play on the X-Factor where Marty MacDonald, Henrietta the Hen and Professor Pinky will see if they have the Egg Factor.

The show will feature songs and laughter down at the Easter Bunny’s Chocolate Factory with songs including favourites Old MacDonald Had a Farm, Wheels on the Bus, The Hokey Cokey and many more.

The duo set up Honalee in 2013 after they seemed to fall into a niche of children’s entertainment and have been making memories with youngsters ever since.

However, Ashmead knows that have pre-school children as their key demographic can be a blessing and a curse.

She adds: “Being on stage in front of pre-school children there is nowhere to hide. If they are bored of it you will know about it.

“We have to be on our toes the whole time. It could be a case where we have done a show in Liverpool and the audience have responded one way then the next city they may not respond at all.

“It is quite exciting and scary because we never know what to expect from an audience.”

Ashmead tells The Gazette that each show is tailored to their specific audience for the night, having to judge how children will react, and with the meet and greet opportunities, whether a child is scared and nervous or confident and wanting to recreate the whole show with them.

It is this almost bespoke approach to their shows which both Ashmead and Parsons believe is a great way to get youngsters interested in theatre in the first place.

“We mustn’t underestimate that these audiences are the new generation of theatre goers,” added Ashmead.

“People are so used to watching TV, so getting young people interested it is something we are so passionate about engaging with young people about going to theatres.

“We want children to engage and share the experience with the adults they are with.”

Easter Bunny's Eggs Factor will be at the Haymarket on April 7.

For more information and tickets visit anvilarts.org.uk.