The UK National Theatre Connections event is coming to the Beacon Arts Centre for its 30th anniversary next week – with young performers from across Scotland taking part.
It’s the fourth year in a row the Beacon has staged the festival, which connects youth theatre companies with some of the country’s best playwrights.
Among the groups on the bill at this month’s festival will be Inverclyde Youth Theatre, better known to most as Kayos, whose performance this year will be a play about the impact of brain injuries.
The National Youth Theatre Connections festival is at the Beacon from April 14-16. (Image: Christopher Bowen Photography) The group has already put on a local performance of its play in the run up to the festival, raising money for brain injury charity Headway.
Beacon creative engagement officer Kevin Jannetts, who is also the artistic director of Kayos, said: “We are honoured to be one of only two Scottish venues for this prestigious event.
“It is always a fantastic event with all the theatre groups coming along, supporting one another and getting the chance to perform plays.
“For our Kayos members it is chance to try a different kind of performing, because musical theatre is not for everyone.”
They’ve chosen Brain Play, by Chloë Lawrence-Taylor and Paul Sirett.
The play tells the story of Mia, who makes it her mission to find a cure after her dad suffers a brain injury and struggles to leave the house.
Delving deeper and deeper into the world of neuroscience, Mia is desperate to make him better, but first she must contend with her own brain.
Every year the National Youth Theatre commissions ten playwrights to produce a play for the festival, and the groups pick one to perform.
They then hold a ‘home’ performance in the run up to the festival.
As part of the event the Beacon also runs workshops for all the festival’s participants to enjoy, with the focus of this year’s workshops being voice and design.
The Beacon is one of 33 ‘partner theatres’ across the UK taking part in this year’s festival, and one of only two in Scotland – the other being Pitlochry Festival Theatre.
The three day National Youth Theatre Connections Festival runs in the Beacon on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, April 14, 15 and 16.
The other plays on this year’s Beacon line-up are Ravers, by the Theatre Royal Dumfries, at 6pm on April 14 and at the same time on April 16; The Company of Trees, by Hamilton and District Youth Theatre, on April 15 at 6pm, with a repeat performance on April 19 at 7.45pm; Fresh Air, by Largs Academy, on April 15 at 7.45pm; and No Regrets, by Mull Theatre, on April 16 at 7.45pm.
To book tickets for the Kayos production, or any of the plays on this year’s bill, call the Beacon box office on 01475 723723.
