IT is 50 years since William Golding's classic tale Lord of the Flies was published.

The unnerving story follows a group of adolescent boys left on an uninhabited island after a plane crash. They must battle for survival - both against the elements and each other - as their paradise island becomes a dark and dangerous place. They form a society without rules where only the strongest can survive.

To mark the golden anniversary, Pilot Theatre company is touring with a no-holds-barred production described as 'William Golding meets Quentin Tarantino'.

It comes to Malvern next week. Theatre spokeswoman Louise Russell said: "Lord of the Flies is an inspirational piece of theatre, faithful to William Golding's vision and this production allows the true dark nature of the story to be peeled back to reveal the inevitable disintegration of a precarious civilisation under the harsh glare of the elements.

"It has a very potent resonance to the world in which we now find ourselves.

"The themes of bullying, power, identity and violence are universal and we can all draw contemporary parallels."

The production is on at Malvern's Festival Theatre from Tuesday, February 8 to February 12 and there are also a number of educational sessions linked with Pilot Theatre's visit.

Teenagers can really get to grips with the story by joining an Open Workshop. This takes place on Tuesday afternoon, February 8, when youngsters aged 14 to18 can work with Pilot members for two hours before seeing the performance.

A workshop for teachers has also been organised and company members can also visit schools.

For more details or to book tickets, contact the Malvern Theatre box office on 01684 892277.