Youth theatre? Join the A-Team!

Lottery funding supports new Youth Theatre Company

In February 2013, inspired by our backgrounds in theatre and youth work, a small group met to discuss and develop an ethos and a strategy to build foundations for what later would become ‘A-Team Productions’.

Our vision was to put together a new youth theatre company which would change the image of Amateur Dramatics and youth entertainment. We wanted to encompass new ideas and experience of what has worked in the past to create something which would not only benefit the lives of young people in Edinburgh but the wider community as a whole.

Our ethos is simple: to promote teamwork, equality and encourage individuals with raw and unnourished potential to get involved, give it a go and grow under our roof.

We believe that Edinburgh has a wealth of talented young people, we see it all around us. We want to provide an opportunity for these young people to be the best, allow them to meet new friends and work with them to reach a common goal of putting on a five star production.

We at A-Team aim to do it like the professionals would! Our young people will wear the finest costumes, get star treatment and perform to full houses of eagerly awaiting theatre goers.

However without our funders we would be nothing. In April it was announced that A-Team Productions were granted funding to run productions for 3 years with a generous fund from The Big Lottery. Their Young Start programme will ensure that we have the necessary funds to put on an extravagant show without the families having to pay a penny.

Our first production “Sweeney Todd – The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” will be performed in St Brides Centre in February 2014. Auditions for this production will be held at Ocean Terminal on 28 September 2013, call backs on 29 September.

For any information regarding the company, auditions or our february production please mail ateamproductionschair@live.co.uk or call 07973317031.

www.a-teamproductions.org

United.Passionate.Successful

Friends, Romans, countrymen … lend me your bike!

An unusual troupe of well-travelled travelling players will perform Shakespeare at Lauriston Castle this weekend. On Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 July The HandleBards, a four-strong, all-male troupe of travelling players, will perform Romeo and Juliet and Twelfth Night as part of a cycling tour of Britain that will see the group pass through 25 venues across Scotland and England.

Beginning at Glasgow’s Riverside Museum and finishing up at the Royal Hospital in Chelsea, which recently hosted its 100th Chelsea Flower Show, The HandleBards will also perform at The Dell in Stratford-upon-Avon (the Royal Shakespeare Company’s outdoor playing space) Bolton and Newark castles and Rufford Old Hall in Lancashire, where Shakespeare himself performed in 1585.

As part the challenge, The HandleBards, who are supported by the Old Vic Theatre, will carry all the required set, props, costumes and camping equipment necessary for the 926 mile journey on their bikes, with no back-up vehicle in support – covering a distance equivalent to that between Land’s End and John o’ Groats.

The four HandleBards will play multiple characters in each 1930s-set play, fully engaging showgoers with some unusually energetic audience interaction. So grab your picnic blanket and head down to Lauriston Castle to enjoy this enthusiastic and engaging show, with some special music thrown in too!

Tickets are £10 (£8 concessions) – find more details on how to book on the Edinburgh Museums website.

Muirhouse set to stage double arts event next Friday

Muirhouse is the place to be for culture vultures next Friday, with not one but two big arts events planned:

North Edinburgh Arts is hosting ‘Echoes’ on Friday 12 April at 7pm

A new version of Mamma Mia has been written by a community group fighting the city council’s plans to close Castlebrae secondary school.

The Abba track IT, will be sung by members of the Save the Brae campaign group during a performance of a play that they have written called Echoes, which will express their opposition to and frustration over the council’s proposals for the school next summer.

Among those taking part in the play is Kevin Finlay, chair of the Save the Brae group, who said: “I think if you go back in history, any local issues like this have been tackled by using arts to get points across.”

Around eight men and women, most of whom are members of Save the Brae will perform the 55-minute play at North Edinburgh Arts on Friday 12 April at 7pm.

Susan Heron, 54, plays Ina in the play – a fictional character who has lived in Craigmillar all her life and doesn’t want the school to close. Susan says the play was a “powerful statement of how Castlebrae school life was and is”.

Tickets are £3 or £2 Good Neighbours (GN) price. To book tickets please call Box Office on 0131 315 2151

and in the afternoon …

Travelling Gallery visits Craigroyston High School on Friday 12 April 1 – 4pm

with ‘feel-good’ art exhibition

The Travelling Gallery will be visiting Craigroyston High School on Friday 12 April, with its latest exhibition ‘Turquoise Heid’ on board. This curiously named exhibition is a busy group show of established and emerging artists from both home and abroad.

Working in a broad range of media including drawing, animation, film, sculpture, photography, performance, collage and painting, the exhibition will include artists who use a playful, childlike, feel good essence in their work, sometimes hiding darker depths but more often making us smile. The simplicity and low-tech nature of many of the artworks disguises sometimes complex processes and skills but also makes the exhibition instantly accessible to audiences of all ages.

’Turquoise Heid’ includes work by artists Matthew Barnes, Olivia Bee, Yeodoo Jung, Peter McDonald, Alex Millar, Jock Mooney, Kim Rugg, Yukako Sakakura and David Shrigley.

Visitors can also look out for artist Ellie Harrison’s Early Warning Sign which the Travelling Gallery is hosting in 2013 and which will sit outside the vehicle. Utilising the brazen marketing techniques of capitalism, the sign attempts to grab the attention of passers-by: to remind them of the consequences of excessive consumption and to force climate change back on the agenda. The harder the wind blows, the faster they go! www.ellieharrison.com.

The Travelling Gallery is a custom-built, mobile, contemporary art space inside a big beautiful bus. Supported by Creative Scotland, the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and the Museums and Arts Division of the City of Edinburgh Council, the Travelling Gallery brings high quality contemporary art exhibitions and events to schools and communities throughout Scotland.

North Edinburgh Arts has arranged for the gallery to be open to the public on Friday afternoon at Craigroyston High School. The Travelling Gallery’s visit has been supported by the City of Edinburgh Council’s Children and Families Department.

See www.travellinggallery.com for all the details or ‘like’ on Facebook

Curtain up on community drama at St Serf’s

The Scottish Community Drama Association (SCDA) Edinburgh District’s One Act Festival takes place at St Serf’s Church Hall on Clark Road from 14 – 16 February. Over three evenings, theatregoers will be entertained by:

Thursday 14 February

1. Leitheatre ( Kirkgate) with ‘Still Life’ by Noel Coward

2. Edinburgh People’s Theatre with ‘Ritual For Dolls’ by George MacEwan Greene

3. The Mercators with‘Cupboard Love’ by Jean McConnel

Friday 15 February

1. Edinburgh Makars with ‘Just Passing’ by Colin & Mary Crowther

2. St Serfs (Afton) with ‘Scent Of Honeysuckle’ by Jean Lennox Toddie

3. Leitheatre (Sunnyside) with ‘A Private Affair’ by Charles Emery

Saturday 16 February

1. Livingston Players with ‘The Donahue Sisters’ by Geraldine Aron

2. St Serfs (Bangholm) with ‘You Really Got Me’ by Neil Robertson

Tickets are priced £8 per evening, or a season tickets for all three nights is £21. Season ticket holders are eligible to vote for their favourite performance in the Best of the Fest Audience Award

Three winning teams will be selected to go forward to the SCDA East Division finals, which will take place in Larbert next month.

For further information and ticket availability visit www.scdaedinburgh.org.uk

Local children stage panto to highlight conservation fears

A group of young people from North Edinburgh are set to become exponents for nature conservation when they perform a panto to highlight conservation issues at North Edinburgh Arts this weekend. The performance is the culmination of an innovative project involving The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh-based Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, the Lyceum Youth Theatre Discover Programme, North Edinburgh Arts and Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust.

The group – who are all aged between 9 and 12 and live in Muirhouse, Pilton and Granton – have been working with conservation experts to learn about the importance of saving endangered species and habitats. The project – which is unique in its involvement of Edinburgh’s leading academic, conservation, and performing arts organisations – will culminate with the young people informing their local communities about conservation issues, through the performance – on Saturday 26 January – of a pantomime they have developed with the support of North Edinburgh Arts.

The young people will also go to Edinburgh Zoo for a ‘behind the scenes’ visit as part of the project, to learn about endangered animals first hand.

Speaking in advance of Saturday’s conservation-themed pantomime, project coordinator Naomi Webster – who is currently a visiting research fellow at Edinburgh University’s ESRC Genomics Policy and Research Forum, and works as Education Officer for the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust , said: “Young people have a natural interest in animals and wildlife, but often don’t realise just how endangered many creatures are or how organisations like Durrell and the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland are working to save them from extinction. This project has enabled us to work with children in an innovative way to help them appreciate the importance of nature conservation, and to allow them to show their families and communities what they have learnt, by producing and performing their own conservation-themed pantomime.”

Kate Wimpress, Director of North Edinburgh Arts, said: “North Edinburgh Arts works with young people throughout North Edinburgh, through creative initiatives such as drama workshops, to encourage them to explore issues and develop understanding. Collaborating with the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Zoo and the Lyceum Youth Theatre on this initiative has enabled us to help young people to gain a greater understanding of conservation in an engaging, yet fun way. I know our young performers are very excited about both their trip to the zoo, and producing and performing their own conservation-themed pantomime.”

It’s a Quangle Wangle Christmas at North Edinburgh Arts!

Licketyspit’s ‘The Christmas Quangle Wangle’ has opened at North Edinburgh Arts. Written by Virginia Radcliffe and based on the works of Edward Lear, ‘The Christmas Quangle Wangle’ is suitable for all ages (3 – 103!) and it’s the perfect way to really get into that Christmas spirit.

Daily performances at 10am and 1pm (Saturday 10.30am and 1.30pm) and tickets start at only £2.

The Christmas Quangle Wangle runs until 15 December. For more information contact North Edinburgh Arts on 315 2151 or see the www.licketyspit.com and www.northedinburgharts.co.uk websites.

Quangle Wangle brings Christmas magic to North Edinburgh Arts

Licketyspit and North Edinburgh Arts will be presenting Licketyspit’s acclaimed Christmas production

The Christmas Quangle Wangle

at North Edinburgh Arts

from Thursday 6 – Saturday 15 December

The Christmas Quangle Wangle is a hilarious, musical adventure for families, friends, schools and nurseries, inspired by the poems and stories of Edward Lear. It is presented at North Edinburgh Arts by its newly appointed Theatre Company in Residence, Licketyspit. The production is written by Virginia Radcliffe and developed in collaboration with Johnny Austin.

“On top of the Crumpetty Tree, the Quangle Wangle sat………”

Stella and Stan are waiting for Christmas. They find a mysterious parcel which leads them to the Quangle Wangle, sad and alone in his Crumpetty Tree. But the arrival of an array of colourful characters changes his and their lives forever.

Join Stella and Stan on their adventure and spend this Christmas at North Edinburgh Arts on the Quangle Wangle’s Hat with the Orient Calf from the Land of Tute, the Dong With the Luminous Nose and the Jumblies as they sail to sea in a sieve! Children will delight in this nonsensical world of make-believe and storytelling, limericks and madcap songs. The Christmas Quangle Wangle is the perfect festive introduction to theatre for younger audiences, from ages three upwards and their grown-ups.

Stella and Stan are played by Scott Fletcher and Ashley Smith, rising young performers in Scottish theatre. Scott is best known for his role as Charlie Smith in Gary: Tank Commander and his many theatre roles include performances in Black Watch for National Theatre of Scotland and the Royal Lyceum’s production of Peter Pan.

Ashley has worked extensively in Scottish theatre since graduating from RSAMD and appearances include Sex and God, Magnetic North; Magic Spaghetti for Licketyspit; 27 for National Theatre of Scotland and Hansel and Gretel with Catherine Wheels.

These performances celebrate the development of a new partnership for North Edinburgh Arts and Licketyspit. North Edinburgh Arts is establishing Licketyspit Theatre Company as Theatre in Residence, supported by The National Lottery through Creative Scotland, to specifically engage and to further develop an Early Years and families audience. North Edinburgh Arts received £50,000 from Creative Scotland’s Public Engagement programme to establish Licketyspit Theatre Company as Theatre in Residence.

Laura Mackenzie-Stuart, Portfolio Manager for Theatre at Creative Scotland, said; ‘We are delighted to have invested in The Christmas Quangle Wangle. We hope the magical experience of going to the theatre will spark a lifelong passion for theatre in younger audiences and their grown-ups.’

North Edinburgh Arts and Licketyspit are excited to be presenting The Christmas Quangle Wangle during 2012, the bicentenary of the birth of Edward Lear.

Crumpetty Tea and Orient Calf Noodles will be available in the North Edinburgh Arts Café where children can make Quangle and Jumblie pop-ups and draw Quangle Wangle’s Hat for a North Edinburgh Arts and Licketyspit exhibition.

The Christmas Quangle Wangle is written by Virginia Radcliffe, around Edward Lear’s poems, and developed in collaboration with Johnny Austin. The production is directed by Johnny Austin; design is developed from the original Catherine Lindow design by Ali Maclaurin; music is by Tim Brinkhurst & Virginia Radcliffe.

“Quangle Wangle…captures its audience’s fiery imagination… a pyrotechnic telling of Lear’s poems” – The Stage, 2004 production

LISTINGS:

Licketyspit and North Edinburgh Arts present

The Christmas Quangle Wangle

North Edinburgh Arts, 15a Pennywell Court, Edinburgh EH4 4TZ

Thursday 6 – Saturday 15 December 2012

Monday – Friday: 10am and 1pm; Saturdays: 10.30am & 1.30pm

Tickets: Forth Ward Residents £2, all other tickets £6.

Box office: 0131 315 2151

www.northedinburgharts.co.uk

Quangle Wangle was first produced by Virginia Radcliffe for the Wee Stories Early Years Project in 2003 and again for Licketyspit for Christmas at Edinburgh’s Traverse Theatre in 2004 directed by Matthew Zajac. It was also produced for Derby Live for Christmas 2009 with a new design by Ali Maclaurin. It was first created in collaboration with Johnny Austin and designed by Catherine Lindow with original Music by Tim Brinkhurst.

The Fringe – what's hot and what's not?

This year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe guide runs to 376 pages, packed with a cornucopia of comedians, dance troupes, musicians, actors and novelty acts – good, bad and downright dire – all vying for your attention at 378 official venues.

Choosing just what to go and see – and, more importantly, what to avoid! – is tough, so perhaps you can help. Let us know what’s worth seeing – we’ll publish your reviews on the blog. And if a performance is truly awful, it’s best that we know that too!

Enjoy the shows!

The Fringe – what’s hot and what’s not?

Enjoy the shows!

Granton youth production's on the Fringe

Granton Youth Theatre will be performing their powerful production ‘Just Like Everybody Else’ at the Holyrood Road’s Bongo Club this weekend.

The drama was devised and developed by Granton Youth Centre participants and the group’s performance was highly praised when ‘Just Like Everybody Else’ premiered at North Edinburgh Arts Centre in April.

Jut Like Everybody Else can be seen at The Bongo Club, Holyrood Road on Saturday and Sunday at 2.30pm. Tickets are only available at the venue box office or through www.thebongoclub.co.uk . The performance is suuitable for ages 12+.