Playmakers Youth Theatre are back with their annual Youth Takeover at Theatre Royal Winchester on Friday 4 April, celebrating months of hard work, presenting a host of original shows inspired by the works of William Shakespeare.
The talented young performers of the youth theatre, aged School Years 2 – 10+, as well as from South Wonston and Wickham primary schools, will perform original shows they have devised themselves and worked on since September, inspired by a number of Shakespeare classics, his sonnets, and their perception of the popular playwright.
There will be a retelling of The Tempest, discovering the origins of the tempest, and the dark, tragic truth of one of Shakespeare’s most iconic characters.
One group will explore Shakespearean competition and rivalry with actors representing the elite and the free-spirited competing to perform the greatest play at the Globe Theatre – in a mashup featuring elements of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Romeo and Juliet.
Another group will examine the nation’s love-hate relationship with the bard’s work, his themes, characters, and the complexities of his plays – through actors’ candid and lively discussion, challenging our views of the playwright and his work.
There will also be a performance of iconic Shakespeare sonnets, plus ones the actors have written, inspired by his themes and approach to the world around him. The actors will wear masks they have created to enhance their performance.
As well as the shows, there will be uplifting songs from the Sunny Choir – the Winchester Ukrainian Cultural Association’s children’s choir. Plus, in the theatre foyer, there will be a Makers’ Market with stalls run by young people selling items they have made. This will start at 5pm, before the shows, and is open to anyone interested in popping in for a browse!
Last year the youth theatre groups performed four shows and enjoyed a packed auditorium and this year’s Youth Takeover promises to be another evening showcasing the very creativity, energy and passion that the Playmakers youth theatre groups are known for.
Playmakers’ Young People’s Producer, Shian Hunter, said: “This has been and is a celebration of young people with their shows and a makers’ market – the groups have worked well together, we’ve made sure that they’ve been involved in as many decisions as possible, they’ve worked with other young people from outside the youth theatre too, so it’s definitely been about celebrating them and what they want to bring to this Takeover.
‘This year they’ve had to do a lot of learning about Shakespeare, the different genres, particular shows, and they’ve explored how they feel about Shakespeare, and maybe looked at his works in ways they might not have in a classroom so we’ve definitely challenged them and I’m really proud of their hard work and I think it’s going to be another wonderful evening. It’s definitely a celebration!”
The Youth Takeover is an opportunity for families of the performers and theatre audiences to celebrate and support the next generation of artists and makers – whether a fan of Shakespeare or simply looking for a fun and enriching night out.
It is a Pick Your Price event meaning audiences can choose the ticket price that works best for them – from £5.
The Playmakers Youth Takeover will be at Theatre Royal Winchester on Friday 4 April at 7pm. The Makers’ Market will begin in the theatre foyer at 5pm. For more information or to book tickets visit: theatreroyalwinchester.co.uk or call 01962 840 440.
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