A free preview of a new musical due to premiere in Ilkley next year is coming to Ilkley Playhouse tonight.

The Wharfeside Theatre will be the venue for a performance of excerpts from the musical Maurice And His Educated Rodents, an adaptation of Terry Pratchett’s award-winning novel.

The musical has been authorised by Pratchett himself, creator of the popular Discworld fantasy series of books.

An all-singing all-dancing premiere is promised at Ilkley’s King’s Hall early next year.

Described as “a dark and very funny twist on the story of the Pied Piper” by Ilkley author Neil Hanson, who adapted the tale for stage, the performance will feature the acting talents of Ilkley Grammar School students.

The production tells the tale of how a talking cat and a “stupid-looking kid” with a penny whistle con a series of towns out of a small fortune in return for ridding them of a supposed plague of rats – then sharing the proceeds with the curiously-educated rodents. However, when they enter the town of Bad Ilkley for ‘one last big pay-day’, they encounter something that threatens the lives of everyone, rat, cat, and human alike.

The songs, written by the show’s musical director, Keiron Anderson, who leads Creative Arts and Music at Ilkley Grammar, include a show-stopping Rat-Catcher’s Tango, a Gilbert & Sullivan-style celebration of the joys of being An Educated Rodent, plus funk finale Don’t Eat The Green Wobbly Bit.

Ilkley Grammar head Gillian James is delighted with the collaboration and with the opportunity to premiere at the King’s Hall.

The full musical will be performed in Ilkley from February 28 to March 1. Tonight’s performance, taking place as part of Ilkley Literature Festival Fringe, begins at 9.30pm. It is suitable for all ages, and admission is free.