Group hits big time on a London stage (From Stroud News and Journal)

Group hits big time on a London stage

THIS July, 17 young people from Stroud's Flies on the Wall Youth Theatre will travel to London where they will have the unforgettable experience of performing on the Olivier stage at the National Theatre as part of Shell Connections youth theatre challenge.

Against stiff competition from over 250 companies nationwide only twelve groups have been selected to perform at the NT. Flies on the Wall will be performing Samurai by Geoffrey Case, which has been directed by Tessa Kemp.

"We started out rehearsing back in January in a small room in The Space," said Tessa. "The group chose Samurai unanimously from a selection of ten new plays. We all loved the fantasy of the piece and the challenge of staging such a complex play.

"The group have been inspiring to work with. They work so well as an ensemble company, supporting each other and solving problems. We are absolutely thrilled to be performing on the Olivier stage at the National Theatre. We now have the difficult task of re-working the play so that it grows from one that entertained an audience of 150 to one which an audience of over 1500 will enjoy. I'm sure the cast will rise to the challenge."

Mark Lewis from the National Theatre said:" This is a very enthusiastic, positive, upbeat and tight group of people who are all there for the sheer adventure, pleasure, challenge and excitement of doing drama."

Samurai was performed on April 1 at The Space in Stroud to a packed house. The play is set in a mythical Japanese society and is about the boy Yuki who lends a magic golden sword to the people whose land is beset by famine and poverty.

Samurai will be performed at the National Theatre in London on Monday, July 11. Tickets and more information are available from the box office.