THE true story of fisherman Stefan Glinksi helped inspire a new show heading to Salisbury next week.

In Our Hands will be brought to the stage by Smoking Apples on Wednesday at Salisbury Arts Centre and combines innovative puppetry, and an original score to tell the heartfelt story.

Alf is a trawler fisherman whose experience, camaraderie and loyalty have put him and his boat at the top of the game.

But times are changing and so is the industry.

How will Alf adapt in order to survive? Audiences follow the journey of a fish from sea to plate, watch a seagull’s attempt to find food and witness a father and son reunite. In Our Hands will transport you out to sea, under the ocean and onto the deck of the Catcher’s Fortune.

With a set designed by Samuel Wyer (Alice’s Adventures Underground, Les Enfants Terribles’ The Trench, the National Theatre’s The Elephantom), an original score by Jo Walker (Paper Cinema’s The Odyssey) and Sherry Coenen’s lighting design, In Our Hands explores the very real difficulties faced by the fishing industry, and those working within it.

It has been developed both in London and Cornwall, with the company undertaking extensive research in Newlyn, Penzance and St Ives.

During this time, the company met Stefan Glinski, a fisherman who saw the potential in fishing sardines, adapted his boat to catch them and is almost singlehandedly responsible for their rise in popularity and the now hugely successful Cornish sardine industry.

Stefan’s story inspired part of the narrative of In Our Hands, which is performed by Smoking Apples at Salisbury Arts Centre at 8pm. Tickets are £12 and £10 for concessions.

There are also a limited number of £5 tickets available for under-26s. Call the box office on 01722 321744 for more information.