DRAMA
NATIONAL THEATRE CONNECTIONS FESTIVAL – ‘#YOLO’
On Wednesday 8th March our Young Company presented their performance of #YOLO by Matthew Bulgo (Welsh Playwright of the Year 2015 & 2017) as part of the National Theatre Connections Festival to an eager audience in the Matravers Theatre. Amongst the audience on the night was the National Theatre’s own director, Phillip Sheppard who was joined by James Moore from the egg, Theatre Royal Bath. Both of these industry professionals took the time after the show to talk at length with the Young Company about the process of rehearsing for the performance, their involvement in bringing the play to life and what the play means to them as young performers.
The Young Company are a newly formed theatre company within the school who were presenting their first collaborative project. The company consists of a range of resilient, ambitious and dynamic students from Years 9-11 undertaking both acting and technical roles under the directorship of Mr Gifford. Rehearsing once a week, the Young Company spent five months in the rehearsal studio working on the performance, managing to juggle their studies to put together a highly successful piece which drew acclaim from their audience. A great number of the cast were also undertaking major roles within ‘Oliver!’, demonstrating outstanding levels of professionalism and resilience! The company have really enjoyed exploring a play which has asked of them to tackle a range of challenging themes (health, friendship, family and futures) with the utmost maturity, bringing them together from being a group of individuals and growing into a flourishing theatre company.
#YOLO picks up it’s story on A-level results day where Jack is fortunate to have it all laid out in front of him. After a summer of love and laughter with his mates, he’s off to university. He can’t wait for ‘Freshers’ Week’ and all the adventures that will follow. Life is just beginning and it couldn’t be better. But when Jack gets blind-sided by a revelation about his health, he gets propelled into an adult world before he’s had a chance to enjoy his youth.
The National Theatre Connections Festival is one of the world’s largest celebrations of youth theatre. Plays are commissioned for and about young people, from some of the best contemporary playwrights, and performed by schools and youth theatres all over the UK and Ireland. Connections is produced by the National Theatre, supported by the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation and by a number of individuals, trusts and foundations.
In 2017, National Theatre Connections is working with up to 260 youth theatres and schools to stage 10 newly commissioned plays, adding to the 150 + plays the National Theatre have commissioned for young people since 1995. All the companies will transfer their production to one of 28 Connections Partner Theatres across the UK.
Following the performance in the Matravers Theatre, the students will rehearse once a week in response to the guidance and feedback provided by Director Philip Sheppard of the National Theatre before performing at the egg, Theatre Royal Bath. Tickets for our performance as the egg on Thursday 6th April (6:30pm) are available to purchase from the Theatre Royal Bath Box Office via telephone or their website.
It has been a career highlight being able to work with such a talented group of actors and technicians, I am extremely proud of everything they have achieved in such a short amount of time.
TWELFTH NIGHT
In March we took our KS5 Drama and Theatre pupils to the National Theatre to watch the newest interpretation of William Shakespeare’s ‘Twelfth Night’. The National Theatre’s production starred Tamsin Greig (Green Wing, Friday Night Dinner and Episodes) star in the gender-reversal role of Malvolia under the direction of one of the nation’s leading directors, Simon Godwin.
By taking part in the National Theatre Connections Festival, the Young Company have been provided with not only the challenge of working on a newly commissioned play, but also allowing our students to perform to industry professionals.
This inventive take on Shakespeare’s tale of two lost twins separated whilst sailing of the coast of Illyria kept the audience laughing throughout, with the comic turn of Daniel Rigby as Andrew Aguecheek being a much-loved performance amongst our students.
Mr Gifford, Teacher of Drama
www.matravers.wilts.sch.uk
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