To celebrate the end of the hugely successful first year of Theatre Royal Brighton Young Writers, in association with New Writing South, The End of the Beginning was a series of mini plays inspired by, and presented in, different locations around the theatre. They were performed by established actors to an enthusiastic audience.
Three of the nine plays chosen to be presented were by Lancing students – two who are currently in the VI Form, and one alumnus.
Spring Open written by George Linfield and Juvenilia by Sam Mcllhagga were performed to acclaim. The text of The Leaking Spotlight by Tara Slade was given to each audience member, to take home.
George Linfield, who wrote Spring Open, was fascinated by theatre and English literature as a student at Lancing. He is now completing his first year at the New College of the Humanities, London, where he is reading English with History. He is in the process of establishing a new theatre company, End of Moving Walkway, which aims to ignite a spark in the London fringe theatre scene.
Sam Mcllhagga, who wrote Juvenilia gained a Sixth Form Art Scholarship at Lancing College and is studying Art, History and English A Levels. Sam said after the event that it had been particularly interesting to chat with the director of his play, and to see how she had interpreted his writing.
Tara Slade is studying Maths, Biology, Chemistry and English at A Level, and is regularly involved in the music and drama activities at Lancing. She found the Young Writers workshops most instructive and also enjoyed the opportunity to meet professionals from a wide range of spheres within the world of theatre.
Theatre Royal Brighton Young Writers programme offers the opportunity to work with a professional playwright and theatre staff, to turn ideas into drama, in the context of a theatre.
Sixteen young people, aged 16-25, participated in the new scheme, attending workshops at the theatre, led by Dinos Aristidou, whose achievements include writing the millennium production for the city of Chester, the centenary production for the Palace Theatre Watford and developing new writing at the Sherman Theatre Cardiff. Dinos Aristidou is part of New Writing South Creative Learning Team.
Dominic Harman, Head of English at Lancing College said, “The course has been fantastic experience for our pupils, providing them with the unique opportunity of working in the inspiring setting of Theatre Royal under the expert tutelage of professional writers. They’ve been inspired and challenged in equal measure and the results are there to see in the quality of the work they’ve produced.”
Theatre Royal Brighton Young Writers is run in association with New Writing South and the Pebble Trust. As a result of the impressive inaugural project, Lancing College has confirmed that it will be supporting this exciting initiative for the upcoming year, 2014 – 15.
Drama plays a very important role in Lancing College life. There are two theatres (one open-air), with regular productions in which there are opportunities for all age groups. Pupils have the chance to act and to learn play-writing skills and stage crafts such as lighting and make-up. The Drama and Music Departments also work together on full-scale musicals with professional choreography. Recent plays have included The Crucible, Who’s Life is it Anyway and Journey’s End. A full scale production of Oliver will take place in November.