Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a refund or swap my ticket?

You can cancel and get a full refund on your ticket(s) via this webpage at least 14 days before the date. It is far easier for you to cancel your ticket and buy a ticket for different show, than it is for us to do it. We do not accept returns or offer refunds within two weeks of the show.

Refunds take 5-10 days until the money is back in your bank account and we have no control over this.

You are welcome to sell tickets you bought directly from us, no need to tell us… Ideally forward the buyer the ticket email, or but if you can’t find this, tell them to give your name on the door.

Occasionally for larger shows, the host venues look after sales so you are buying tickets directly from them. If this is the case then you need to contact them directly to see what their policy is.

I bought a ticket but have not received it, what should I do?

Go to https://app.tickettailor.com/find-tickets and type in the email address you used to buy your ticket to check on your order. You can request your ticket is resent to you, then immediately check your spam/junk folder if you don’t receive an email to your inbox.

An email containing your tickets is sent from modifythevan@buytickets.at to you at the moment that you buy them.

It is to be noted that 99.9% of the people who ask us this are using hotmail/outlook/microsoft as their email provider, which is well known for having major issues with its spam filter settings. If this is you, then it might be worth you learning more, as who knows what else is going missing or never makes it into your inbox!

Who is the show suitable for?

The show is light hearted in many places and is broken up with sing-a-longs, but we also discuss the Irish potato famine and other British colonial genocides plus the trading of enslaved Africans, land and wealth inequality, and other topics which can been contentious and emotional.

Exploring land rights, history, protest and how this connects to the present day inevitably takes us into topics which are political in nature, so our show may not be suitable for you if you are sensitive to such matters. To discuss any individual concerns, please contact us directly.

What ages is the show suitable for?

The show is not designed for kids, although there have been both primary and secondary aged children who came with family and enjoyed the show a lot… but please don’t bring young minds along against their will.

The show is light hearted in many places and is broken up with sing-a-longs, but we also discuss the Irish potato famine and other British colonial genocides plus the trading of enslaved Africans – so some strong words are used.

Will I enjoy the show with ADHD and/or autism?

We have had great feedback over the years from people with ADHD who have expressed surprise that the format of the show worked so well for them, being able to keep concentration and enjoy the evening. Obviously no two people are alike, but we feel confident the majority of ADHD folk will have a good time.

The show was devised by an autistic artist who is painfully aware of the barriers that exist for autistic people coming to shows. Wherever possible, seats and space is left at the back and around the sides if you don’t fancy being in the main audience. If you need to be at a row end, please do drop us a line and we will do our best to ensure you have somewhere you feel comfortable and can easily escape from if you don’t.

There is no loud noise or bright/flashing lights in the show, with the volume kept to an audible but polite level. You should expect occasional group singing (everyone gets a songbook) and audience applause as part of the evening.

Please also read the section above titled: ‘Who is the show suitable for?’

How long does the show last?

A normal show starts around 7pm with doors opening at 6.30pm. It is two roughly hour long halves with an interval finishing around 9.40pm… if you are booking a taxi and/or planning for a babysitter then best plan for a 9.50pm finish just to be sure.

Will you come and perform at … ?

Thanks, we’d love to explore this with you and have a dedicated page about requesting a show.

Can I see a recording of the show?

Whilst we did online zoom performances during the lockdowns and have some footage recorded of the show, we have chosen to not make this public. Three Acres And A Cow has evolved a lot over the last ten years and all of the herd bring different qualities to their performances, so any recording you saw would likely not reflect future shows. Having said that, there is a lovely ten second time-lapse of a show which can be found here.

What does the show’s title ‘Three Acres And A Cow’ mean?

‘Three Acres And A Cow’ was one of the slogans of the land reform movement in England in the 1880s. An idea which gained in popularity at the time was that large aristocratic estates should be broken up and families who wanted should be given three acres and a cow.

There were many folk songs written both for and against the idea at the time and we sing our favourite in the show, which we adapted from one we found in Roy Palmer’s excellent book ‘The Painful Plough‘

Do you work in schools?

One of our lockdown projects was starting work on Three Acres And A Calf resources. We have made some progress on this including an amazing series of Key Stage 3 lesson plans by the wonderful Geography Paul. If you would like to work with us to develop more resources, please get in touch via threeacresacow@gmail.com.

Will you come and do a show in Wales?

Our show tells the history of England so is less relevant to Wales, but we have had the joy of collaborating with some superb Welsh musicians and storytellers, supporting them to create a Welsh history of land rights show called Gafael Tir. You can find out more about them via https://gafaeltir.cymru/ and https://www.instagram.com/gafaeltir/.

If you live just on the Welsh side of the border, we have occasionally done a Welsh/English hybrid show touring along the border, so it is worth dropping us a line to say hello so we can pop you on our potential shows map. Please get in touch via threeacresacow@gmail.com.

Who are you?

Three Acres And A Cow is produced by Modify The Van CIO, registered charity number 1215146.

Who funds your work?

All our shows are fully funded by income from ticket sales and selling merchandise, or in the case of festivals whatever fee we have agreed with the host. Very occasionally in the past we have received small grants from funders such as the Arts Council but those are all pretty much distant memory now.