On Saturday 26th April Futures Institute Banbury and Wykham Park Academy students performed Ravers by Rikki Beadle-Blair at The North Wall, Oxford, as part of National Theatre Connections.
Our day started early with a dress and technical rehearsal. Our actors and crew worked alongside the professionals preparing for our performance.
We performed to a warm and super supportive audience of family, friends and staff members from WPA and FI.
After a Q and A session where the students discussed the process and a delicious lunch in the historic dining room at St Edward’s School, the students participated in a series of workshops covering art and activism, storytelling, acting for screen and Lecoq techniques.
We watched two other companies’ shows as well as eating another excellent meal and participated in two other workshops covering musical theatre dance and stage combat.
The North Wall staff were so accommodating and the students had so much fun learning new skills and meeting other young people.
I am so proud of the students’ accomplishments. They worked so hard for six months and their performance was fantastic. They brought some much-needed joy and energy to the stage. It has been a privilege working with them and I hope it will be a memory that not only inspires but lives in them for a very long time.
We received some brilliant feedback and overall the students represented WPA and FI superbly. They were an absolute credit to both schools and an outstanding example of how we can strive to be the best in Banbury.
Elise de Lancy Green – Director of Ravers
NTConnections
Music: Bassheads – Is There Anybody Out There
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