Leading theatre experts from across Europe will deliver workshops for all ages at a South Cumbrian festival next week.
The For/With/ By Festival of European Youth Theatre is being hosted in Barrow this year, following two successful years in Birmingham.
The festival includes theatrical productions and family shows as well as workshops including Introduction to Playwriting from Tom Saunders, associate director at Hull Truck Theatre, who will help adults and older teenagers learn about the fundamental principles of the craft in a practical workshop.
Hippo Theatre from Athens, Greece will be working with actors, dancers, students and start-of-career performers in their workshop Kinemo: Kinaesthetic Intelligence On Stage. Participants aged 15-plus will explore building trust in a team; voice and body warming up; stimulating the senses and group improvisations.
Students and older children can join a practical workshop on producing theatre from The Lyric, Hammersmith, including unlocking the nuts and bolts of producing including the conception of an early idea, casting and design processes, press night and transfer of a show to further venues.
Rebecca Blackman, director, audience and engagement, Arts Council England said, “I’m delighted that Festival of European Youth Theatre is coming to Barrow.
“It is an amazing opportunity for communities across Barrow to not only see but also be a part of this internationally significant festival.
“The festival will provide the people of Barrow with the opportunity to access creativity and culture on their doorstep, which is at the heart of our ambition for our Creative People and Places programme.”
Later in the week Hippo Theatre will be working with younger children, who can play theatrical games while learning physical theatre techniques, and primary aged youngsters can also take part in Swedish Uppsala City Theatre’s Inventing a Play session as well as a Theatre Making and Acting workshop from Birmingham Rep.
For learning disabled, autistic and neurodiverse young people of ages including their families, Open Theatre is bringing an Out and About workshops to Barrow. These are open to everyone and will be full of games and drama activities that don’t always require words to play.
