Rehearsals underway for
Live Theatre’s Youth Theatre Festival
“Our World” - Youth Theatre Festival
Newcastle Live Theatre
Thursday 6th to Sunday 9th August 2015
Rehearsals are now underway for Our World, Live Theatre’s 16th annual Youth Theatre Festival. The event, which will be at the quayside venue from Thursday 6th to Sunday 9th August, features theatre productions, a short film as well as an Edinburgh Festival Fringe comedy preview.
Over 70 young people, aged between 11 and 22 and from the company’s Youth Theatre, will present four evenings of entertainment which provide a glimpse into the worlds of young people and their place in it.
Paul James, Live Theatre’s Associate Director of Education & Participation said: “This year’s Youth Theatre Festival promises to be as diverse, eclectic and exciting as ever. A fantastic event with a wide range of new work and talent on display. Our World will be dedicated to our colleague Jackie Fielding who we had the pleasure of working with on at least 12 Youth Theatre Festivals. Jackie was an outstanding Theatre Maker and an inspiration to young people. She was able to draw amazing performances from the actors she worked with.”
Kicking off the Festival is Big Talk, Small Talk, on Thursday 6 August at 7.30pm. Featuring a selection of short plays, created over 10 days by the Youth Theatre members and some of the region’s leading freelance theatre makers, the event will give an alternative perspective on what really matters to young people in the 21st century. The performance will be followed by a free Meet the Team talk where some of the young people involved in the production will be discussing the process of making their plays.
On Friday 7 and Saturday 8 August eight young people will take to the stage to give their personal, heart-warming and hilarious perspective on what it’s like to be 11 and 12 today. For them being eleven is tough. And great. And weird. And confusing. And funny. The show, 11 Plus, was curated by writer Laura Lindow (Rendezvous) with assistance from fellow writer, Lee Mattinson (Donna Disco). The pair held interviews with the young people involved to create a piece using the interviewees’ own words. They talked about school, their families and their hopes and fears. Directed by Live Theatre’s Associate Director of Education & Participation, Paul James, 11 Plus is suitable for those aged 8 and over and will be performed at 7.30pm on both days with a matinee performance on the Saturday at 2pm.
Laura and Lee have also been busy writing new sketches for Live Theatre’s all-female sketch group Your Aunt Fanny who will be previewing their Edinburgh Festival Fringe show on Friday 7 and Saturday 8 August at 9pm. From the absurd to the downright ridiculous they'll be celebrating everything that is funny and inappropriate in an evening of original sketches accompanied by music from DJ Mariam Rezaei. The show, suitable for audience members aged 14 and over, contains strong language and strong women.
Closing the Festival on Sunday 9 Augustis Invisible Cinema, a film like no other. Six Youth Theatre members will be working with directors Ian Mclaughlin and Bev Fox of Magic If to create six dynamic characters using improv techniques. Their newfound skills will then be put to the test during filming where then, and only then, will the storyline be revealed to the actors. Audience members will also meet the characters in a special pre-screening performance which begins at 7.30pm. After the screening the actors and directors will take to the stage to reveal more information about how the film was made and how the process was for them in our free Meet the Team talk.
Writer Laura Lindow said: “Live Theatre’s annual Youth Theatre Festival is famed for being a colourful, thought-provoking, emotion-fuelled event. This year, as ever, the excellent Education & Participation team has put together a festival programme to platform the vibrant range of voices of the talented young participants, (on the main stage no less), all with sincerity and support. I feel so lucky to be amongst the other theatre professionals who have the chance to work amongst these exceptional young people. The final event promises to be a celebration of all things theatrical, (and all genuinely springing from the thoughts, opinions and ideas of the young people themselves!) Prepare for the kind of treat which rings with charm whilst biting with relevance as they tell you how it really is. I for one can’t wait!”
Festival goers should also be on the look-out for a series of wrap around events curated by Silver Arts Award participants who are working with Live Theatre. Arts Award is a national qualification that supports young people to develop as artists and arts leaders.
Tickets:
Tickets for Our World events are £8, £6 for concessions and £3 for Youth Theatre members for each performance. Tickets can be booked by contacting Live Theatre’s box office on (0191) 232 1232 or online at www.live.org.uk. Your Aunt Fanny will be performed at The Fancy Room, Just the Tonic between Wednesday 19 and Saturday 29 August. To find out more visit www.justthetonic.com.
Festival Listings
Big Talk, Small Talk - Thursday 6 August, 7.30pm
A selection of short pieces devised over ten days by groups of young people with support from some of the region’s leading theatre makers. These original and imaginative plays will give an alternative perspective on what really matters to young people in the 21st century.
Including Meet the Team - THURSDAY 6 AUGUST (after the show)
Some of the young people involved in Big Talk, Small Talk discuss the process to make their
short plays. Free, booking essential.
DATE: Thurs 6 Aug, 7.30pm
LOCATION: Main Theatre
DURATION: Approx. 1hr
SUITABILITY: 8+
TICKETS: £8, £6 concs, £3 youth theatre members
11 Plus - Friday 7 & Saturday 8 August, 7.30pm
Saturday 8 August, 2pm
Directed by Paul James
Assistant Director Rachel Glover
Curated by Laura Lindow
Assistant Curator Lee Mattinson
Being eleven is tough. And great. And weird. And confusing. And funny. A group of young people give their personal, heart-warming and hilarious perspective on what it’s like to be 11 and 12 years old today.
Developed through a series of individual and group interviews this exciting new piece explores friendships, families, politics, growing up and everything in between.
DATES: Fri 7 Aug 7.30pm & Sat 8 Aug, 2pm & 7.30pm
LOCATION: Main Theatre
DURATION: Approx. 50mins
SUITABILITY: 8+
TICKETS: £8, £6 concs, £3 youth theatre members
Your Aunt Fanny - Friday 7 & Saturday 8 August, 9pm
Edinburgh Festival Preview
Your Aunt Fanny has her bus pass and is Edinburgh bound! See her comedy nieces’ brand new sketch show in two special preview events at Live Theatre before it heads north to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Written by award-winning playwrights Laura Lindow (Rendezvous) and Lee Mattinson (Chalet Lines) and directed by Rachel Glover, the show contains strong language and strong women.
Your Aunt Fanny makes her Edinburgh Fringe debut between Wednesday 19 and Saturday 29 August at The Fancy Room at Just the Tonic.
DATES: Fri 7 Aug & Sat 8 Aug, 9pm
LOCATION: Studio Theatre
DURATION: Approx. 1hr
SUITABILITY: 14+
TICKETS £8, £6 concs,
£3 youth theatre members
Invisible Cinema - Sunday 9 August, 7.30pm
An exciting new film in which six young actors work with directors Ian McLaughlin and Bev Fox of Magic If, to use improve to create six dynamic characters. The storyline is revealed to the actors only during the filming, prompting improvised performances.
Like in real life, you never know what’s round the corner. You’ll meet the characters during a pre-screening performance.
Anything could happen and probably will – especially at the screening.
Including Meet the Team - SUNDAY 9 AUGUST (after the film)
Join the actors and directors on stage to find out how the film was made, and how the process was for them. Free, booking essential.
DATE: Sun 9 Aug, 7.30pm
LOCATION: Main Theatre
DURATION: Approx. 1hr
SUITABILITY: 8+
TICKETS: £8, £6 conc,
£3 youth theatre members
