Outrageous Steps is Oxford Youth Theatre’s new production. A collaboration between the theatre and the internationally-acclaimed puppeteer Stephen Mottram and Jacqui Malone of Lissomiore Dance Company, it combines ballroom dancing with animation using puppets and objects, and live performers. And in the second half, the audience gets to take a spin, too. You can catch this unusual piece at the Pegasus Theatre, Oxford today and tomorrow night. For tickets, telephone the box office on 01865 722851.
Another unusual youth theatre collaboration has been taking place at the Octagon Theatre, Bolton, where a new Deaf Youth Theatre for 15 to 25-year-olds was working during the half-term holiday with Kaos Theatre, a European-style company which concentrates on mime and movement rather than words. In March, the Deaf Youth Theatre takes a specially-devised production to Deaf Impact IV, a national festival of deaf culture in Preston. For more details, ring Victoria Brock on 01204 529407.
Congratulations to Tiebreak for the 38,000-odd smackeroos it’s received from the National Lottery to fund a new touring van and equipment. The 15-year-old company has toured to more than 250,000 youth, school and community audiences, often in isolated rural communities. They are based in Norwich on 01603 426374.
The Royal Lyceum Theatre Company in Edinburgh has announced its spring season of educational events for young people. Breakneck Projects, for 14 to 18 years olds, are a series of workshops with professional actors, directors and designers who help pupils explore the themes of the play currently in production.
On Saturday March 9, the subject is Montrose; on April 13, it’s Pygmalion. Make-A Play Days for 8 to 13-year-olds allows children to create and perform their own ideas with help from storytellers, props and costumes. Teach-Ins are workshops for school pupils exploring how to put on a production. All sessions take place on March 9 and April 13. Royal Lyceum box office 0131 229 9697.
Happy tenth anniversary on March 14 to Women and Theatre, Birmingham’s leading health education company. For the occasion, it’s staging a day-long event at the Midlands Arts Centre called Opening the Doors.
The idea is to reveal the breadth of material, from breast screening to HIV education, that goes on behind closed school hall doors. Opening the Doors is part of the Birmingham Women’s Festival. For more details, ring Jane Ward on 0121 440 4203.
