Being a part of Mortal Fools over the past year has been a year of exciting new experiences for me. From gaining confidence, to being back on stage in ‘Flux’. Learning how to facilitate sessions with young people, and learning what it’s like to make a short film in ‘My People’. The projects I’ve done this year are ones that have inspired me, and have given me memories I will never forget.
- Mark, Ensemble Young Company Member
Mortal Fools Ensemble Young Company
Ensemble Young Company is our dedicated youth theatre group for people aged 13-19 (School Years 9+) which offers young people the experience of making and touring theatre, as close to a professional process as possible!
We make theatre through the process of co-creation, where young people and professional artists work together to contribute their ideas, skills and opinions to create brilliant, original theatre. You’ll work alongside a team of professional theatre practitioners, directors, designers and technicians to create a full production with sound, lighting, set, costumes and original music, which we then perform to audiences across the country in professional theatre venues, to paying public audiences.
Mortal Fools are the only theatre company in the North-East touring youth theatre and co-creating with young people in the way that we do. Members also have an opportunity to take part in other small-scale projects throughout the year, as well as work experience opportunities and peer-facilitation roles.
Scroll down to find out more about this year’s project.
Ensemble Young Company is our dedicated youth theatre group for people aged 13-19 (School Years 9+) which offers young people the experience of making and touring theatre, as close to a professional process as possible!
We make theatre through the process of co-creation, where young people and professional artists work together to contribute their ideas, skills and opinions to create brilliant, original theatre. You’ll work alongside a team of professional theatre practitioners, directors, designers and technicians to create a full production with sound, lighting, set, costumes and original music, which we then perform to audiences across the country in professional theatre venues, to paying public audiences.
Mortal Fools are the only theatre company in the North-East touring youth theatre and co-creating with young people in the way that we do. Members also have an opportunity to take part in other small-scale projects throughout the year, as well as work experience opportunities and peer-facilitation roles.
Scroll down to find out more about this year’s project.
“I don’t feel like we’re kids here - it’s not like we’re the kids and you’re the practitioners and we’re separate. We’re all one ensemble. You treat us like professionals, we have fun and we make good theatre”
Ensemble Young Company member
This year’s project: Grow Up
This year, we’ve been chosen to partner with the brilliant youth theatre, Company 3, on their project Grow Up.
In this project, 4 youth theatres from across the country will devise their own, original 60–75-minute play, using the same theme/starting point/title: Grow Up.
The theme is about exploring the tension that young people face between being told to ‘grow up’, whilst simultaneously being told they are too young to do certain things or make certain decisions. As we know, every young person’s experience of growing up is different, so the final plays will be different for each youth theatre, both in style and content, but we’ll have opportunities to connect and share ideas with the other groups throughout the process.
This year, we’ve been chosen to partner with the brilliant youth theatre, Company 3, on their project Grow Up.
In this project, 4 youth theatres from across the country will devise their own, original 60–75-minute play, using the same theme/starting point/title: Grow Up.
The theme is about exploring the tension that young people face between being told to ‘grow up’, whilst simultaneously being told they are too young to do certain things or make certain decisions. As we know, every young person’s experience of growing up is different, so the final plays will be different for each youth theatre, both in style and content, but we’ll have opportunities to connect and share ideas with the other groups throughout the process.
How our Ensemble Young Company works:
Our Ensemble Young Company group takes place in two locations in Northumberland: Tyne Valley and Ashington. Our sessions take place on Thursday evenings (6-8pm) and Sundays (10.30am-4pm):
Timeline 2023-24:
We’ll be providing a detailed schedule soon, but for now, the key dates for participants are:
Our Ensemble Young Company group takes place in two locations in Northumberland: Tyne Valley and Ashington. Our sessions take place on Thursday evenings (6-8pm) and Sundays (10.30am-4pm):
- On Thursdays, we run two groups: one in Tyne Valley, and one in Ashington.
- On Sundays, the full group comes together in one location and we provide transport for the travelling group (e.g. from Ashington to Tyne Valley and vice versa).
Timeline 2023-24:
We’ll be providing a detailed schedule soon, but for now, the key dates for participants are:
Term 1: Start the devising process
September – December 2023 |
Weekly Rehearsals (Thursdays and some Sundays) |
October Half Term 2023 |
Other project activity, such as… - Residential trip with partners - Theatre go-and-sees |
Term 2: Devising, rehearsing and performance preparation
January – March 2024 |
Weekly Rehearsals (Thursdays and some Sundays) |
February Half Term 2024 |
Half Term Intensive Rehearsals |
End of March / April 2024 |
Opening performances in the North East |
Easter Holidays 2024 |
Go on tour! |
Joining the group:
Currently all of our groups are full. However, we are reviewing our capacity to extend group sizes - so if you would like to join Ensemble, please sign up for the waiting list here, and a member of staff will be in touch shortly. We will do our best to accommodate as many young people as possible.
Recent Work
FLUXDevised and performed by young people from all over Northumberland, Flux was a contemporary, dynamic and poignant piece of theatre which explored the fluidity of identity; showcasing an original soundtrack, bold set design, and the incredible talent and insights of young people.
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MY PEOPLEFour bitter-sweet, poignant film shorts, following a group of young people navigating the reality of friendship in the modern world. What if growing up means growing apart?
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RELENTLESSAn original theatre show and tour that was cancelled due to COVID, about what it means to be growing up and getting by in a chaotic new decade. Fears, wants, hopes and voices laid bare; accompanied by a soundtrack worthy of your most-played Spotify top spot.
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I WEIGHA dynamic and thought-provoking show that explored what we are worth, and how we can learn to value and accept ourselves, and each other, in today’s world of unrealistic expectations.
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Brainstorm was a fast paced, dynamic and physical theatre show created for and by young people, exploring how their brains work and why they're designed to be imperfectly perfect.
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“I really enjoyed when we showed the play to the other theatre groups and how inspired they were from it. They talked about how it was a voice for them and that there needs to be more theatre like that."
Ensemble Young Company member
More about the MFYT Ensemble Young Company:
Being part of Ensemble Young Company really is more than just being part of a youth theatre group. It means:
A standard year's Ensemble programme may include:
- Developing new creative skills in devising, performing and directing
- Building long-lasting relationships, supportive friendships, and improvied teamwork
- Gaining further opportunities e.g. volunteering and examples for personal statements or interviews
- Gaining experience of a professional-style theatre-making and touring process
A standard year's Ensemble programme may include:
- 1 - 2 professional-style performance projects per year, including regional touring
- 'Go and see' theatre visits to see touring professional work
- Skills sharing workshops with other young people
- Visiting performances from other young companies
Get involved...
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Aged 13-19 and interested in joining our Ensemble Young Company? Complete the MFYT registration form to send us an enquiry and we'll get in touch with more detail.
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