Sherman Youth Theatre encourages the exploration of drama through playful discovery; seeking to create the theatre makers of the future. Throughout the year, members learn new skills and develop existing talents which they put in to practice when they take to the stage of Sherman Theatre’s Main House.
Between March 7-9 the company will perform Ageless, a new play by Benjamin Kuffuor (Youngers, E4) about a miracle drug which quite literally changes the face of ageing. Ageless will then be performed by Sherman Youth Theatre at the National Theatre Connections festival hosted at Sherman Theatre in April.
Ageless tells the tale of a Britain of the not too distant future, in which the Temples pharmaceutical corporation has created a miracle drug which allows its users to retain their teenage looks forever. In a population that appears ever youthful, those who are genuinely young struggle to gain the support they need from society at large. With a cast of 18 talented young people, Ageless questions what it means to be young and explores the ways in which generations collide.
Sherman Youth Theatre provides an important training ground for young people looking to embark on a career in the theatre. Members have often gone on to train further and success stories include Emma Cooney, who appeared in several Sherman Youth Theatre productions before being cast as an Apprentice Actor in Sherman Theatre’s 2017 Christmas show, The Wind in the Willows, and taking a major role in Sherman Players’ 2018 production of Blue Stockings. Last year she successfully gained a place at prestigious London drama school LAMDA and is now studying acting.
Ageless is directed by Sherman Theatre’s Communities & Engagement Coordinator, Timothy Howe. Timothy said: “NT Connections is the cornerstone of Sherman Youth Theatre’s work, presenting our young theatre makers with an invaluable opportunity to flex their creative muscles in a public performance. Ageless is no exception. Not only can their work be seen through their on-stage performances but this year our participants have taken an active lead in designing the show, working alongside professionals in costume, set, lighting and sound. We have equipped them with skills that we hope will make them valuable contributors to Wales artistic output for years to come.”
Julia Barry, Sherman’s Executive director, said: “Sherman Youth Theatre is a vital and vibrant element of our work at Sherman Theatre. Children from the age of 4 attend weekly sessions at the Sherman, supported by our brilliant team of skilled and experienced Youth Theatre practitioners, and we see them grow in confidence and creativity. Our relationship with the National Theatre Connections programme has become a central part of the Youth Theatre infrastructure and provides an exceptional opportunity for our young people to perform a piece of new writing that has been commissioned specifically for them.
“This year’s play, Ageless, demonstrates the full breadth of the skills of the young theatre makers who have worked with enthusiasm, commitment and energy on all areas of the production.”
Ageless is part of the National Theatre’s Connections scheme and will be performed again as part of the National Theatre Connections 2019 festival at Sherman Theatre in April, alongside performances from companies of young people from across South Wales and beyond.
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Ageless will be performed at the Sherman Theatre, Cardiff between March 7 – 9 at 7pm. Tickets are £8 For further details visit http://www.shermantheatre.co.uk