THEATRICAL fun is on offer all day at the Eastgate in Peebles this weekend.

The popular arts centre is throwing open its doors on Saturday with a packed programme of free fun for the whole family.

The special Engage Open Day is a chance to sample the theatre’s many different arts activities, with exciting taster sessions in music, drama, dance and crafts.

The action starts at 10am when Frances Taylor leads Rhythm Kids – a half-hour taste of musical fun and games for three to five year olds.

A hugely popular class when first introduced in January, Rhythm Kids will return for a new block of classes later in April as part of the theatre’s jam-packed Engage programme.

Next up at 10.45am is a 30-minute drama taster for five-to-16 year olds with Derek Douglas from the Scottish Theatre & Music School, which teaches everything from performance to role play, script work and improvisation.

This is followed at 11.30am by a 45-minute Art Sparks workshop – an invariably lively and messy art class for seven-to-12 year olds, led by artist Anna Nicholson.

In the afternoon, starting at 1.15pm, the Eastgate’s in-house dance expert Alex Sanders reveals all about an amazing opportunity to get involved in a new community performance project alongside BrewBand – Scotland’s latest super-band created by award-winning disabled choreographer Marc Brew.

The free sessions are rounded off with some serious fun at 2pm when Tigerlilly encourages all ages to try their hands (and hips) at Egyptian Bellydance.

Throughout the day there will also be face-painting, egg hunts and other Easter games.

After the various hands-on tasters, the day finishes with a fantastic auditorium performance when Jango Starr presents his latest hilarious show, One Man Shoe, which is suitable for ages five to11.

The Eastgate Theatre’s Engage Open Day is on Saturday from 10am to 3pm.

All taster workshops are free.

Jango Starr’s One Man Shoe starts 2.30pm with tickets £8, £5 schoolchildren (£22 family of four) available from Box Office on 01721 725777, or online.