The Teatru Manoel Youth Theatre (TMYT), which is part of the theatre’s Toi Toi Education Programme, has been selected as one of six established youth theatre companies from around the Commonwealth to take part in the Tin Forest International Theatre Festival.
This festival is part of the Glasgow 2014 Cultural Programme, which coincides with the hosting of the Commonwealth Games. It is a collaboration with the National Theatre of Scotland.
TMYT’s involvement is a direct result of their participation in this year’s ŻiguŻajg festival. Initial contact was made between the festival’s artistic director, Toni Attard, and the National Theatre of Scotland.
Simon Sharkey, associate director for the National Theatre of Scotland, watched the company perform their original piece Club during ŻiguŻajg and was impressed enough to offer them a place in the Scottish festival. Club was directed by Denise Mulholland and choreographed by Warren Bonello.
The other youth theatre companies are Manifesto Jamaica from Kingston, Jamaica; FanFiction Comedy from Auckland, New Zealand; Made in Bristol from Bristol Old Vic, England; X Theatre from Dhaka, Bangladesh; and Yuva-Ekta Youth Unite from New Delhi, India.
The four Scottish companies are Urban Fairytale Theatre Company from Glasgow; Collision from Buckhaven, Fife; Aberdeen Performing Arts Youth Theatre, Aberdeen; and Physical Theatre Scotland from Edinburgh.
The youth companies will devise a piece inspired by the concept of “near nowhere… close to forgotten” to present to audiences in Glasgow at the South Rotunda from July 24 to 28.