Questors Teenagers Aiming for National Stage

Youth Theatre taking part in drama competition

A group of teenage actors from Questors Youth Theatre in Ealing are hoping their latest production will win them national recognition.

 They are taking part in a project by the National Theatre to encourage the writing and performance by young actors of new plays relevant to the lives of young people.

With ten “thrilling” new plays commissioned as part of its Connections programme for 2011, the National has invited two hundred youth theatres across the country to produce the play of their choice.

Each company will stage their chosen play at their home venue, then at a regional drama festival. One production of each play will then be selected for performance at the National Theatre on London’s South Bank.

The Connections project was founded in 1995, but this is the first year that Questors Youth Theatre has taken part.

“It is the chance of performing the play at the National Theatre that makes this such an exciting project for our young actors,” says director Dominique Gerrard.

For their play, the Ealing company has chosen to stage Too Fast, written by the award-winning Scottish playwright Douglas Maxwell.  

“It stood out for me as the most unique and moving of the ten plays in the selection,” says Dominique.

“It is an extraordinary play about raw ambition, life, love and death.”

The play tells the story of a vocal group called Sensation Nation, hoping to win fame through a TV talent show. But they need a good human interest story to generate the kind of sympathy that will win viewers’ votes.

So they turn up at the funeral of a girl from their school, tragically killed in a car crash, with the intention of performing her favourite song. That’s when the trouble starts.

The QYT production of Too Fast is being staged this week at the Mattock Lane theatre, with the regional performance to follow. After that, who knows?

“I am overwhelmed by the talented young actors we have here at Questors,” says Dominique.

“We are enjoying the process of creating and developing this show, giving it our best, and aiming to touch people with this beautiful story. Getting to perform at The National Theatre would also be amazing!"

Too Fast is being performed at The Questors Theatre from February 10-12

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February 08 2011