We catch-up with the projects Act One and Act Three are working on this term – and look ahead to Young Actors Live on June 27.
Act One’s The Mermaid that Saved the Cow is a show based on a true story: a woman dressed as a mermaid swam through the Thames to raise awareness about plastic pollution…and stumbled upon a stranded cow.
Act One is busy working on themes, story and character development before passing on this original story to Brent Youth Theatre, based in Wembley, who will be developing The Mermaid that Saved the Cow into a full length musical this summer.
After rounding-up our Troubled Waters season, passing this story to another youth theatre feels like the perfect way to keep the ‘watery theme’ alive in London theatres, and to highlight two crucial issues for young people: navigating troubled times and caring for the environment.
Act One will be presenting their version of this story to an invited audience on Sunday 7 July at 11.30am.
Swipe Right is Act Three’s exciting collaboration with Cricket Green School in Mitcham.
Funded by the Ironmongers Company, the project is providing a unique opportunity for our Young Actors to work with peers from different backgrounds with a wide range of abilities, creating a piece of theatre that will improve understanding about online safety, develop students’ language skills and increase social mobility. This short but vital piece of theatre will look at how social media influences young people: highly attractive, highly addictive and a constant source of distraction, some young people look at online content uncritically and aren’t aware of the influence it’s having on them. This is not an easy concept to get across in a school lesson: that’s where Swipe Right comes in!
Our two groups will get together for the first time On Sunday 16 June at Cricket Green School to work together on their showcase presentation.
A big, bold, comic swipe at the world of social media, Swipe Right has a simple message: turn off your phone and switch on your creativity.
Special thanks to The Ironmongers’ Company’s for their charitable grant to fund Act 3’s Swipe Right.
Young Actors Live, 27 June
On Thursday 27 June we’ll be presenting a night of live music from young local talent – including some of our own Young Actors – at The Old Frizzle in Wimbledon.
From 7pm you can hear solo sets from artists including Gabriel Lumsden, Ashley Dee and Sheya McAllister – and the night will also include an exclusive performance of one of the original songs from Act Three’s Swipe Right.
Check out Gabriel’s new Instagram page for a taste of what to expect.
You can reserve your spot in the mosh pit (or a comfy table with a view of the stage) by donating to the event’s Just Giving page – and/or contribute some cash on the night.
We’re hoping to raise £500: this will pay for one year’s company membership for a young person who could not otherwise afford to attend the Young Actors Company.
As well as a year of professional theatre training, the young actor will build confidence, make friends and participate in potentially life-changing community projects.
So choose your glad rags, sing along and help us raise the roof!
