FLUX 2023 TOUR
Figuring it out and fitting in; what makes you, you?
12 unique young voices came together on stage, to explore what it means to question your identity in a world that feels determined to put you in a box. Devised and performed by the young people living through this reality right now, our audiences discovered that there is freedom in the flux - and that labels are for bottles, not people.
“Flux was a big and exciting piece of theatre that presented young people’s stories in their way. It was full of funny relatable characters, engaging stories, beautiful visuals, and brilliant original music and songs; all devised by our Ensemble cast and team of professional creatives. Flux was a show about young people resisting the pressure to fit into a neat little box, and learning to accept their honest, complicated selves - and showcased their creativity and talents with a new perspective.”
- Helen Ferguson, Creative Producer at Mortal Fools
The Flux 2023 tour also got some great reviews - you can read them below:
- North East Family Adventures Review of the YMCA Northumberland show.
- The Strawberry Fountain Review of the Action Transport show.
Flux 2023 was a contemporary, high-energy theatre production, and featured an original soundtrack. The show depicted multiple perspectives and stories, with our Ensemble Young Company playing a range of characters - including versions of themselves, peers, parents, and teachers.
The production featured the incredible talent, insights, and lived experiences of young people, and gave a voice to a group of young people growing up in the reality of our contemporary world.
181 people came to see Flux 2023 across 4 performances. We toured the show to YMCA Northumberland, Burnley Youth Theatre, and Theatre Porto.
Our Flux 2023 cast consisted of 12 young people, many with intersectional needs, from Ashington and Tyne Valley Northumberland. For 4 of those young people, it was their first experience of being on stage and of co-creation, and for 11 of the Ensemble Cast, it was the first time they’d been on tour with Mortal Fools (for a few, it was the first time they’d ever been away from home in their lives!).
The production featured the incredible talent, insights, and lived experiences of young people, and gave a voice to a group of young people growing up in the reality of our contemporary world.
181 people came to see Flux 2023 across 4 performances. We toured the show to YMCA Northumberland, Burnley Youth Theatre, and Theatre Porto.
Our Flux 2023 cast consisted of 12 young people, many with intersectional needs, from Ashington and Tyne Valley Northumberland. For 4 of those young people, it was their first experience of being on stage and of co-creation, and for 11 of the Ensemble Cast, it was the first time they’d been on tour with Mortal Fools (for a few, it was the first time they’d ever been away from home in their lives!).
AUDIENCE TESTIMONIALS:
“I LOVED IT. The proper representation of my community made me feel so seen.”
“Very emotional, powerful and relatable. As a teenager it was very amazing to watch and I really enjoyed it.”
“Incredible; I loved the stage interaction – very talented young people.”
“Brilliant performance! Very relevant to parents of teenagers!”
“I loved seeing/hearing young people’s views/ideas- very thought provoking. A really impressive show. Hilarious characterisation of adults!”
“The voices and opinions of young people were clear throughout. It was enjoyable, fun, and moving - well written with relevant themes."
“Your show has super helped me understand some of the questions I have and why I find them so difficult to ask - I am very grateful you put on this show.”
“I loved it! All of the cast were amazing. It explored a theme that we all struggle with, irrespective of your age - made it fun, thoughtful and inclusive.”
“Absolutely blew me away. So powerful and emotional. Had me in tears! Each performer was exceptional. This should be in every school and also on the west end in London. Would be a sell out! Would recommend it to everyone!"
“Performers were excellent - you could see the dedication time and effort that had gone into the performance. Very relatable and great for young people's identity.”
“The show was slick, fast paced and endearing. It made me think about young people in a fresh way.”
“As someone who put a name to my identity as non-binary, I felt the performance represented my own experiences well.”
Flux 2023 was part of our Co-Creation Exchange strand of work. Led by Mortal Fools and funded by Arts Council England, the Co-Creation Exchange is a network of committed cross-sector partners, who share the core aim of developing and advocating for high-quality co-created youth theatre and drama opportunities in the North of England.
Burnley Youth Theatre and Theatre Porto are part of this network, and via digital meets, we’ve enabled an exchange of learning and held peer spaces to explore how best to reach and inclusively engage young people, being mindful of contemporary needs. Consequently, in addition to the performances, we hosted three workshops with groups of North West young people and staff from each venue, to explore the themes of the show and to showcasing our practice when co-creating with young people in real time.
Burnley Youth Theatre and Theatre Porto are part of this network, and via digital meets, we’ve enabled an exchange of learning and held peer spaces to explore how best to reach and inclusively engage young people, being mindful of contemporary needs. Consequently, in addition to the performances, we hosted three workshops with groups of North West young people and staff from each venue, to explore the themes of the show and to showcasing our practice when co-creating with young people in real time.
THE DEVISING PROCESS
MEET THE FLUX 2023 TOUR CAST
Our Flux 2023 Ensemble Young Company came together in late Autumn 2022; 12 young people from Ashington and Tyne Valley, working with theatre practitioners, guest artists, and Team Mortal Fools. Using the Flux 2022 performance script as the framework, they redeveloped the script over a few months – evolving the plot lines, characters, themes, and giving space for the new cast to put their authentic stamp on Flux 2023.
“I’ve been a part of Ensemble Young Company for two years - it’s been exciting to take Flux to the next level. I’ve enjoyed working with a great crowd of young people and guest artists; it has helped me to believe in my own abilities, to be more confident and progress as a performer.”
- Amaaya, Flux 2023 Tour Cast Member
The Flux 2023 devising process heavily explored the fluid nature of personal identity; how young people are perceived by different people, the masks we all wear, and the influence that society, friends, and parents have on us. Our young people unpicked the labels and stereotypes we all collect as we grow up; how they can limit us and be harmful, or how they can help us make sense of ourselves and empower.
The core of Flux 2023 was to be a positive and empowering experience to anyone who saw it, without shying away from the reality and complexities of life for young people.
The core of Flux 2023 was to be a positive and empowering experience to anyone who saw it, without shying away from the reality and complexities of life for young people.
“I have loved the process of devising Flux! I think I have developed a lot of really useful skills, like learning how to get from an idea to a script to a scene. I also feel my confidence in just letting go and going for things has increased too!”
- Eloise, Flux 2023 Tour Cast Member
Ensemble Young Company members worked with professional artists and theatre makers across the co-creation process to craft this wonderful production! This included freelance Mortal Fools associate artists:
- Sheryl Jenkins - Animator
- Rachael Walsh - Script Writer and Dramaturg
- Calum Howard - Musician and Sound Artist
- Aileen Kelly - Set and Costume Designer
- Swaddle Creative - Graphic Designer
“Ensemble Young Company are a diverse, vibrant and talented group of young people who are full of energy and ideas. Across this devising process, I have seen their creativity flourish in all sorts of ways and in working alongside these young people as a freelance associate artist, my own creative practice has been inspired, challenged and pushed in new explorative directions.”
- Calum Howard, Mortal Fools Associate Artist
Themes explored in Flux 2023 and during the co-creation processes included:
- Evolution of identity.
- Self-identifying vs how others perceive you.
- Labels and stereotyping.
- What do young people need from the adults in their lives?
- Making life decisions, and the pressure from the enormity of their impact.
- Being worried about what other people think about you.
- Masking and conforming.
- Pressure from society, school, parents, peers, and influencers on growing up.
- Expressing yourself through fashion, music, art, words, actions etc.
- Celebrating individualism.
- Low self-esteem and confidence.
ABOUT MORTAL FOOLS ENSEMBLE YOUNG COMPANY
Ensemble Young Company is our dedicated youth theatre group for people aged 13-19 (School Years 9+). Ensemble members work together over a prolonged time period to devise a new piece of theatre (in this case, Flux), which we then tour to our partners in the Young People’s Co-Creation Exchange Network. Our Ensemble Young Company features young people from both Tyne Valley and Ashington. We welcome new and returning members to join us each year, usually starting in the Autumn.
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. We treat this work as professional theatre; presenting it in professional theatre venues, to paying public audiences. 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.
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. We treat this work as professional theatre; presenting it in professional theatre venues, to paying public audiences. 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.
"Mortal Fools are a really exciting and collaborative organisation who think outside the box and are always seeking to do things in a different way. It is very refreshing!”
- YMCA Northumberland Youth Worker
For more information on Ensemble Young Company, visit the project page.
