THE Manx National Youth Theatre will take drama to new heights when it performs a Shakespearian scene on the London Eye.
Ten members of the Manx National Youth Theatre will recreate the courtroom scene from The Merchant of Venice in one of the Eye's pods on 19th May.
The performance is among a number of exciting activities planned to mark the launch of the Transformation Trust, which aims to provide every young person with opportunities and experiences that will help them fulfil their potential.
The Trust will be the major backer of the Shakespeare Schools Festival, which involves 500 schools and youth groups and takes place at 65 venues across the British Isles, culminating in performances over a three-week period in October.
The MNYT is one of only a dozen theatre companies chosen to take part in the launch and was invited after its acclaimed performance at the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts during the 2008 Shakespeare Youth Festival.
Fiona Helleur, Youth Worker in charge of the MNYT, explained ‘We will be performing in one of the pods on the eye before an invited audience of dignitaries, then on the concourse outside to entertain the crowds and then again outside the Tate Modern. It should be a fantastic event and something really different.’
Fiona said ‘We were selected purely on the strength of our performance last year at LIPA, when we were described as mesmerising by Festival Director Dominic Fitch. We also proved our mettle by being able to get ready to perform within 10 minutes when there was a sudden change in the programme.’
The MNYT was given just two weeks’ notice of its participation in the London event and has had to schedule in extra rehearsals, as it is currently flat out rehearsing for 'Ctrl Alt Del', a youth extravaganza being staged at the Gaiety Theatre on 15th and 16th May.
Heading to London are (pictured) Dan Palmer, Jon Paul Christian, Aaron Joughin, Warren Lee, Tina Adamson, Breeshey Walkom, Leanne Gregory, Kayleigh Harrison, Eva Sansbury and Leonie Hodgson.
Acclaimed actors Simon Callow, Sian Lloyd and Simon Darwin have all confirmed their attendance at the launch of the Transformation Trust. It is not yet know who else will witness the MNYT’s performance, but patrons of the Shakespeare Schools Festival include theatre luminaries Sir Tom Stoppard (who abridged the MNYT’s version of The Merchant of Venice), Sir Nicholas Hytner, Dame Judi Dench, Kwame Kwei-Armah, Cherie Booth QC, Kevin Spacey, Philip Pullman, Lord Puttnam and Sir Arnold Wesker.
It is also hoped that Mayor of London Boris Johnson will attend.
Fiona said ‘We have had fantastic support from the Youth Service over this event. It has pulled out all the stops to get us down there at short notice, giving us financial support and arranging travel and accommodation, plus giving us time to rehearse when we are so busy with Ctrl Alt Del.
‘I thought our involvement with the Shakespeare Youth Festival would be a one-off but, after the success of last year, the members of MNYT were keen to participate again as they enjoyed the experience so much.
When this opportunity arose, they all leapt at the chance and they are all working extremely hard to make sure that they keep to the incredibly high standard they reached last year.
‘I am sure they will surpass themselves and make the Isle of Man proud.’
