Regular followers of my blog (that is to say, hello mum and yes, I am still alive) may be aware that I often wax sentimental about the West Country. Those who are aware of my work as a teacher will know that I can bore for the United Kingdom about the problems of assessing theatre made by young people.
The TS Drama Theatre Company allow me to do both. Next week, they return to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival for the third year running with Journey to X. Not only are they are a sixth form group of drama students (young people's theatre is my enthusiasm, after his Majesty RB and my time at the NFYT in Falkland), they come from Taunton. Taunton is one of my favourite towns in the world, up there with parts of Arran (more villages, I guess)... but anyway...
TS have done pretty well without a Vile shout out before - they had a Sell Out Fringe run in 2011 and did Patrick Marber’s The Musicians in 2012. I'm impressed to see a young company take on Maber - he's one of those neo-brutalists that I love, and he was on Alan Partridge in the old days.
Here's some plot, press release and details. They did have some good quotes from previous years, but I cut them on the grounds that they came from rival publications. Petty? Me?
In Journey to X, a group of friends have formed a new band. Now all they have to do is raise the money to get to London to audition for the world’s biggest talent contest. However, not everything is a glamorous as it seems, as their journey for fame and fortune is really for something far less dazzling.
In a culture of instant fame and talent show stories, we see the importance of life and friendship. A tale about companionship, a journey and the risks that teenagers take when plunged into an adult world.
Journey to X was written by Nancy Harris as a brand new play for young actors and was commissioned by The National Theatre Connections and was premiered at the National Theatre by MorePies Productions in June 2012.
The TS Drama Theatre Company are derived from Taunton School’s sixth form drama students (aged 17-19) and perform primarily in Somerset. At the Edinburgh Festival, this is our third year performing, after 2011’s Sold Out ‘Dial H! for Hitchcock’ and last years ‘The Musicians’. In Somerset, we performed the English premier of 'Phantom of the Opera' licensed for amateur groups. Recently, we also won the NDFA British All Winners Final 2013 with Derek Bowskill’s ‘Burnup’, becoming British Champions in the category of One Act play.
TheSpaceUK (TheSpace @ Surgeon’s Hall) Venue 53
19th-24th August, 13:10 (45 minutes)
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