Photo credit: Camilla Adams
Play to the Crowd, the charity that runs Theatre Royal Winchester and Hat Fair, is hosting a number of shows and activities in the coming weeks for young people to watch and take part in.
Later this month, The Zoo That Comes To You tells the story of two wildlife enthusiasts who provide care and a sanctuary to animals. However, when no-one comes to visit their zoo, the animals and humans decide to take the zoo to the audience – children aged 5+ and their grown-ups!
Packed with animal puppets and live music, cheeky yet charming animals share their life stories, inspiring their audience to learn about animal conservation.
The show is by Scarlet Oak Theatre who create family theatre productions inspired by the natural world as well as celebrating human connection. Play to the Crowd is hosting the show at Colden Common Community Centre on Friday 20 February at 11am and 2pm – with tickets from £4.
Next, another Playmakers Youth Takeover – packed with energy, imagination and heart – takes over Theatre Royal Winchester as the youth theatre School Years 3 – 6 and 7 – 9 groups and drama clubs share devised performances inspired by the theme of generation, exploring what connects people across the years.
While the Year 10+ group will perform the play Cloud Busting by Helen Blakeman about a boy whose class is told to write a poem about someone they care about. Cloud Busting is one of a number of plays that will be performed by young people across the country as part of National Theatre Connections – a festival celebrating young people, theatre making and the importance of access to the arts.
This year’s Playmakers Youth Takeover will take place at Theatre Royal Winchester on Friday 20 March at 7pm. Tickets from £5. The Year 10+ participants will perform Cloud Busting additionally at MAST Mayflower Studios in Southampton on Saturday 25 April at 7pm, as part of National Theatre Connections, with the venue a Partner Theatre of the festival.
Finally, young people aged 13 – 18, with an interest in theatre, are invited to take part in Play in 3 Days: Grimm Tales at Theatre Royal Winchester.
Over three days, participants will work with theatre practitioners to rehearse and perform their very own version of a dark and enchanting script based on a Brothers Grimm tale – from Little Red Riding Hood and Rapunzel to Hans-my-Hedgehog.
A series of workshops will see them create characters, develop performance skills, work with others and stage their show, performing to family and friends on the theatre’s stage. No experience is necessary. The workshops will take place at Theatre Royal Winchester from Monday 30 March – Wednesday 1 April, 10am – 4pm each day, with a performance on the final day at 4pm.
Tickets for all shows, and places for workshops are bookable at playmakers.org.uk.
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