Tim Hughes looks forward to a new production of a Graham Greene classic, in Chipping Norton

TAKING on a work by a writer as much-loved as Oxford icon Graham Greene is an ambitious task – particularly in the 25th anniversary year of the great man's death.

For actor Katherine Senior, however, it is the perfect chance to bring one of her favourite works to the stage – Travels with My Aunt.

A founder member of the Creative Cow theatre company, Katherine is relishing the opportunity to put her stamp on this 1969 classic tale of a retired, suburban bank manager, his eccentric aunt and their surprisingly eventful trip across Europe and beyond.

The play comes to the Theatre, Chipping Norton next Monday to Wednesday, with just four actors representing 20 characters – each playing a part in Henry Pulling’s great transformation.

For those unacquainted with the plot, Henry leads a quiet, risk-free and dull, bachelor life, effectively retired from work, life and the world. Then his eccentric Aunt Augusta persuades him to travel with her to Brighton – then Paris, on to Istanbul and across the world to Paraguay.

Through her he joins a shifty twilight society of pot-smoking hippies, war criminals, men from the CIA and hard core art smugglers – all of which helps him put his dull and predictable life behind him as he finds himself changing beyond recognition.

The storyline of Travels with my Aunt not only mirrors Greene’s own real life obsession with travelling, often to the most dangerous spots on the planet, but also takes the audience on a whirlwind tour of the fictional world he creates in his other novels.

Aspects of Greene’s life, such as his secret service work, his brushes with criminals, his constant travelling, are all represented in the story. However, while his other works are inextricably concerned with the future of the soul and the afterlife, Travels with My Aunt explores the here and now.

"The play takes its audience on a whirlwind tour across the world and it plots one very ordinary man’s extraordinary journey of self-discovery – and change," says Katherine.

"Henry Pulling is a retired, risk averse and rather dull bank manager. His journey from a man effectively retired from life and the world to active participant in the swinging 60s and the vast changes those years brought is begun the moment his Aunt Augusta turns up at her sister’s funeral.

"From then on his travels begin and his eyes are opened to a whole new, and dangerous, world."

So why did the company chose this particular play?

"We love Greene’s thirst for adventure and risk – everything that, in the beginning, Henry Pulling is not," she says.

"Greene described ‘Travels’ as ‘the only book I have ever written for the fun of it’ and we like the way this work is a kind of parody of his more serious books. We chose this play because of its timeless appeal – we know it’s going to delight audiences all over the country."

As with all Greene novels, there is more to it than meets the eye.

"There are two kinds of journey going on," she says. "One is physical and geographical, while the other is a journey of self-discovery and change.

"The power of travel to transform lives is undeniable."

And she can't wait to bring it to Chippy.

"We actually toured Travels With My Aunt six years ago on a very small scale to village halls, pubs and studio spaces, so we are very excited to be taking it out again to such a beautiful theatre and with a fresh script.

"We have a lovely cast on board which makes for an enjoyable tour and a great opportunity to check out all the local pubs after the show!"

In coming to west Oxfordshire, Creative Cow is returning to its rural roots – as hinted at by its quirky name.

"Creative Cow happened because the first play we produced (The Private Ear and The Public Eye) was on our director’s farm, and when thinking of a name for the company we looked out of the window and there was our answer.

"We hope it is a memorable name from a marketing point of view. We still rehearse on the farm when the weather allows.

And the company's greatest success to date?

"Success is a hard thing to determine, isn’t it?" she says. "Each tour we do seems to build on the previous and most recently we produced our own version of A Christmas Carol with Exeter Northcott Theatre and played a four week run with an adaptation which I adapted.

"We played to over 16,000 people and had a broad range of ages come along which was great.

"We have already taken out Travels With My Aunt, earlier this year and it was very well received across the board, where we played to packed houses in a lot of the venues.

"The play is produced in association with Malvern Theatres, who have been a great support to us. They do not offer any financial support but any money we have already made on the box office they are able to give us as an advance to help with rehearsal running costs.

"The chief executive has been a great mentor for us and helps us with contracts and putting us in touch with other theatres and contacts which helps us move up the touring ladder, as it were.

Travels with my Aunt, by Creative Cow, comes to The Theatre Chipping Norton next week, from Monday to Wednesday. Tickets are £13-£15 from the box office on 01608 642350 or go to chippingnortontheatre.com