WINCHESTER Science Centre is collaborating with theatre company The Occasion to launch a unique, live-action touring planetarium show.

The show will premiere at Winchester Science Centre during the autumn school half-term holiday - from October 24 to November 4 - before its UK tour of science centres in Bristol, Glasgow, Birmingham, and Leicester.

‘You Are Here!’ is described as "an exciting new type of family show that combines live performance with the immersive 360-degree full-dome planetarium experience. This fusion of arts and science in this instance creates an extremely accessible show for children and their families to explore the huge and complex concepts of time and space".

Written by award-winning scriptwriter Andy Cannon, the production is said to be both entertaining and educational, "designed to make the audience gasp, laugh, think and ask questions".

The 30-minute show takes the audience on a virtual trip with WOW Tours. Expecting to attend a lecture from ‘The Professor’ the tour is unexpectedly confronted with the disappearance of the stars – not to mention the disappearance of The Professor!

Equipped only with umbrellas and a mysterious A-Z guidebook of the galaxy, WOW Tours embark on a magical journey.

With help from the audience they uncover where The Professor has gone, and in doing so discover “the most incredible, remarkable, mind-blowing thing in the universe”.

The appearance of Jupiter as the ultimate ‘behind you’ moment, a zoom through Saturn’s rings and a voyage down to the surface of Mars – ‘You Are Here!’ promises to be an unforgettable tour.

It has been made possible by a grant of £48,500 from Arts Council England and is also supported by Airbus.

“We’re delighted to have support from Arts Council England to enable us to commission The Occasion to create this exciting, first-of-its-kind, planetarium show,” said Ben Ward, chief executive of Winchester Science Centre and Planetarium.

Peter Clerke, co-artistic director of The Occasion, said: “We’re not aware that this combination of live performance and full dome planetarium film has ever been done before.

"You Are Here! provides a fast-paced, fun and immersive experience. Wholly accessible, this is where the excitement of theatre meets the wow of full dome film. Entertaining and educational, it’s the perfect adventure for children and their families.”

Mr Ward continued: “Having previously managed touring theatre productions and arts centres, I’m excited to champion theatre and the arts to communicate STEM subjects to as wide an audience as possible.

"The Occasion trialled a short pilot last year and the feedback from the audience was great. Sitting in the planetarium and hearing gasps from children as Jupiter rose up behind the actors on the huge 360 degree screen was a really special moment for me.

"I can’t wait to see the audience react to the full show when it’s performed for the first time in Winchester this October half term.”

He added: “Winchester Science Centre is a charity on a mission, to make STEM accessible to all. You Are Here! offers a new way for people to learn and the charity hopes the show will spark their curiosity in the universe as well as introduce families to live performance.”

Visit theoccasiontheatre.com/you-are-here.