Members of Workington’s Theatre Royal Youth (TRY) were over the moon back in July 2019, when they first heard they had been selected to take part in the National Theatre’s Connections Festival – a nationwide celebration of new plays for young people.
TRY leader Georgia Douglas-Brown was invited to a special Directors’ Weekend at the National Theatre in London in October 2019, and now TRY will get a chance to perform their chosen play, Tuesday by Alison Carr, at the Theatre Royal, from Thursday 6th to Saturday 8th February. This will be followed by another performance in the Studio at Keswick’s Theatre by the Lake, and a chance of being selected to perform at the National Theatre a few months later.
Alison Carr’s witty, fast-moving play combines sci-fi with everyday school life. The play opens on an ordinary Tuesday. The kids are out in the school yard, when a large rip appears in the sky above them. Pupils and staff are sucked upwards – and a whole new set of people start raining down, which is apparently what happens when parallel worlds collide! Confusion reigns as ‘Us’ and ‘Them’ try to work out what is going on. How can Ash and Magpie be identical? Can Billy cope with having his sister back? And who is Franky? As the air on Earth starts to disagree with ‘Them’, the race is on to return everyone safely to the Universe they came from.
Director Georgia Douglas-Brown says; “Our young actors have all worked so hard in order to bring this performance to life. It’s been fabulous to work with the National Theatre on this special Connections production, and to be able to perform a play written especially for young people.”
TRY members are hoping that West Cumbrians of all ages will support this exciting production. Tickets (adults £8, concessions £6) can be booked in advance online at http://www.theatre-royal-workington.co.uk/tuesday/ and will also be available on the door.
