Children and young people's theatre

News

Theatre at home for youngsters

7 August 2020

The Dukes in Lancaster and Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield have devised a theatrical experience for 7- to 12-year-olds to enjoy at home.

Elmhurst Ballet School dance masterclasses

29 July 2020

Elmhurst Ballet School, the vocational school in association with Birmingham Royal Ballet, will move its annual summer school online this August with its Back to Dance Masterclasses.

ENB at HOME: youth dance course

25 July 2020

This summer, English National Ballet will run a course of free online classes for young dancers aged 14–19 years.

Summer schools to go ahead in Birmingham

23 July 2020

Birmingham REP is to host two summer schools, with those attending five-day workshops able to choose between in-person tuition in the theatre’s rehearsal rooms or online classes.

Lowry advanced dance training open for applications

7 July 2020

The Lowry Centre for Advanced Training in Dance has opened applications for the next year of its annual scheme starting September 2020, open to young people from the North West aged 11–16.

Sir David Bintley coaching students in Birmingham

Bintley to judge BRB lockdown Choreography Challenge

1 July 2020

Choreographer and former Artistic Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet Sir David Bintley will judge an online Choreography Challenge for students together with its creator, Brandon Lawrence.

RSC playmaking festival for schools goes online

25 June 2020

More than 100 young people from the Royal Shakespeare Company’s associate schools programme are to share a series of original digital responses to Shakespeare’s plays.

Deptford and Stockton commission children’s shows for 2021 and 2022

23 June 2020

The Albany, Deptford, and ARC Stockton have co-commissioned two children’s shows for Christmas 2021 and 2022.

Darcey Bussell confirmed for U.Dance festival

21 June 2020

Dame Darcey Bussell, Strictly Come Dancing’s Aljaž Skorjanec and Janette Manrara, Boy Blue’s Kenrick ‘H20’ Sandy, The Royal Ballet’s Steven McRae and West End star Layton Williams are confirmed in the line-up for U.Dance Digital 2020.

Youngsters to take part in digital festival

19 June 2020

Independent production studio China Plate and Coventry’s Warwick Arts Centre are to stage a digital festival which has been programmed by, with and for 16- to 21-year-olds.

New online kids’ play commissioned by Nottingham Playhouse

6 June 2020

Nottingham Playhouse has commissioned Noah and the Peacock, a new form of live, at-home theatre written and created especially for Zoom by Jeff James.

Families in Wales invited to join new Theatr Iolo project

17 May 2020

Specialist in theatre for young people, Theatr Iolo, asks families to help create Twenty20: Experiences of an Extraordinary Year.

One Dance UK digital youth dance festival summer 2020

16 May 2020

One Dance UK is moving its U.Dance National Festival online this year for a weekend of streamed dance masterclasses, showcases, careers talks and information sessions for young people.

Young people reimagine the future in Derby

15 May 2020

Young people in Derby are being provided with a professional online platform to share their ideas of a reimagined future beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

Working with young people during lockdown

7 May 2020

How Northumberland-based Mortal Fools has continued its work with young people and in professional development in spite of the lockdown.

Chichester Midnight Gang and Beauty and the Beast online

3 May 2020

David Walliams's The Midnight Gang and the Chichester Festival Youth Theatre production of Beauty and the Beast will be the next productions to be streamed online from Chichester Festival Theatre.

Tackling Shakespeare’s language: RSC artists give tips

27 April 2020

Artists from the Royal Shakespeare Company who are unable to rehearse or perform will help to unlock Shakespeare for thousands of children and young people studying at home.

Video from Elmhurst Ballet School and English National Ballet School

Two ballet schools share message of solidarity and hope

26 April 2020

Elmhurst Ballet School in Birmingham and English National Ballet School in London have united to share a message of hope and support in footage filmed by students dancing at home edited by BalletBoyz.

"Unmissable opportunity": Jack and the Beanstalk

Playhouse seeks writer for Christmas show

25 April 2020

Nottingham Playhouse is on the lookout for a professional writer to create its annual festive family show.

Oldham Coliseum goes online

16 April 2020

Oldham Coliseum has released 100 Word Plays (about Oldham) as audio online and is preparing to launch a monologue challenge for school and college students.

Primary schoolers help create show

14 April 2020

Youngsters can contribute to the creation of the next adventure by Raddlesham Mumps creator.

Perform your own panto

5 April 2020

Middle Child has made available resources so that every family can perform their own take on The Little Mermaid.

Interactive circus classes for everyone

3 April 2020

Time on your hands? Learn circus skills from the experts with Lost in Translation Circus classes for beginners upwards.

Designs wanted for Curve production of Wizard of Oz

3 April 2020

Leicester’s Curve is asking children to submit designs to be featured in the set of its Christmas 2020 production, the regional première of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Wizard of Oz.

“Lightness in difficult times”: Hollie Westwood

Birmingham students create online drama classes

28 March 2020

First-year students studying applied theatre at Birmingham City University have created DIY drama classes online for children and their parents to encourage them to take part in teaching together at home during the coronavirus crisis.

Z-Arts is full of Dust

15 March 2020

Dust sweeps into Z-arts, Manchester.

Double Puss 'n' good!

15 March 2020

Families can experience classic furry-tail Puss in Boots at The Dukes in Lancaster.

Coliseum opens a new Jungle Book

15 March 2020

Oldham Coliseum presents a musical adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s famous story The Jungle Book.

NE director to tour children’s version of Orwell classic

4 March 2020

NE born director Robert Icke is to tour a children’s version of George Orwell’s classic Animal Farm.

Dragons and Mythical Beasts in Darlington and Billingham

22 February 2020

A new interactive children’s theatre show is to visit Darlington Hippodrome and Billingham Forum later this year.

TV favourites at the Dukes

22 February 2020

Families and little ones will see some of their television favourites on stage when CBeebies’ Sarah & Duck bring their live show to The Dukes in Lancaster.

A Monster Calls at The Lowry

16 February 2020

The UK tour of A Monster Calls comes to The Lowry in Salford.

TBTL Young Company director Lexie Ward with Young Company members

National Connections for Keswick

16 February 2020

Keswick’s Theatre by the Lake is a partner venue for 2020’s National Theatre Connections festival.

Taking Flight launches Wales’ first youth theatre company for deaf performers

14 February 2020

The official launch of the first youth theatre company catering for “D/deaf and hard of hearing performers” in Wales, under the aegis of renowned inclusive theatre company Taking Flight, took place at the Wales Millennium Centre.

Customs House selected for national programme

13 February 2020

South Shields’ Customs House has been chosen to take part in the Future Arts Centres Here and Now project.

Reviews

Bright. Young. Things.

Georgia Christou

Nick Hern Books

Released 2 July 2020

Heavy Weather

Lizzie Nunnery

Nick Hern Books

Released 2 July 2020

Noah and the Peacock

Jeff James

Nottingham Playhouse

Nottingham Playhouse Digital Playhouse

19 to 21 June 2020

Anansi and the Pot of Wisdom

Justin Audibert

Unicorn Theatre and Illuminations

Unicorn Theatre on YouTube and The Guardian web site

13 June to 4 July 2020

Anansi the Spider Re-spun 2: Anansi and the Two Dinners

Justin Audibert

Unicorn Theatre and Illuminations

Unicorn Theatre on YouTube and The Guardian

6 June to 4 July 2020

A Monster Calls

Patrick Ness

Bristol Old Vic At Home and Your Old Vic

Old Vic Theatre

5 to 11 June 2020

Anansi the Spider Re-spun: Brother Anansi and Brother Snake

Justin Audibert

Unicorn Theatre

Unicorn Theatre on YouTube and The Guardian

30 May to 4 July 2020

We Found a Hat

Jon Klassen

Little Angel Theatre

24 May to 30 June 2020

Stories from Home

Ines Sampaio, David Parkin, Tia Chand-Corey

Spark Arts for Children

6 May to 17 June 2020

This Is Not My Hat

Jon Klassen

Little Angel Theatre

3 May to 30 June 2020

I Want My Hat Back

Jon Klassen

Little Angel Theatre

13 April to 30 June 2020

The Wind in the Willows

Book by Julian Fellowes, music and lyrics by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe

James Hendry Productions

London Palladium

From 17 March 2020

Crongton Knights

Alex Wheatle, adapted by Emteaz Hussain

Pilot Theatre

The Lowry, Salford

10 to 14 March 2020

Vehicles

Martyn Harry

Operasonic

The Riverfront, Newport

3 March 2020

Crongton Knights

Emteaz Hussain, based on the novel by Alex Wheatle

Pilot Theatre, Belgrade Theatre, Derby Theatre and York Theatre Royal

York Theatre Royal

25 to 29 February 2020

A Monster Calls

From the novel by Patrick Ness, inspired by an idea by Siobhan Dowd

The Old Vic in association with Bristol Old Vic

The Lowry, Salford

25 to 29 February 2020

Rocket Girl

Steve Byron

Alphabetti Theatre and The Worriers

Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle

18 to 22 February 2020

Plock!

Concept by Hanne Vandersteene and Mahlu Mertens

Grensgeval

Curve Theatre, Leicester

15 to 16 February 2020