Between Autumn 2024 and Spring 2025, our Youth Theatre groups are working on Light Up; a new project exploring light, imagination, creativity and joy!
We interact daily with light; from bright summer days to Christmas twinkly lights, from guiding streetlights to cozy torch lights, from putting “the big light on” in the living room to the excitement when the lights “go down” at the cinema. This term, we’ve challenged our youth theatre to explore the ways in which light illuminates the beauty in the world around us, influences our mood and perspective and in the absence of light, what mystery and magic may exist.
In addition to exploring the concept of light, our groups are working with our Youth Theatre Practitioners and Production Staff to experiment with theatre lighting as a production tool to create captivating performances, bringing different characters, environments and memories to life.
In addition to exploring the concept of light, our groups are working with our Youth Theatre Practitioners and Production Staff to experiment with theatre lighting as a production tool to create captivating performances, bringing different characters, environments and memories to life.
Light Up Events
In January and February 2025, we’ll be holding events in Ashington and Tyne Valley for our Mortal Fools Youth Theatre to showcase the short performances created, and you, our Mortal Fools community are all invited.
Dates for your diary....
Dates for your diary....
Light Up Tyne Valley - 18th January 2025
4pm and 6pm
Riding Mill Parish Hall
Get ready for our Tyne Valley youth theatre members shine at this creative cabaret event at Riding Mill Parish Hall showcasing funny and thoughtful short performances created by our Tyne Valley and Highfield groups.
The hall will be transformed into a vibrant performance space; expect to be taken to outer space, unleash your inner nerd, learn something new and have a good laugh, all while the Parish Hall lights up around you!
Riding Mill Parish Hall
Get ready for our Tyne Valley youth theatre members shine at this creative cabaret event at Riding Mill Parish Hall showcasing funny and thoughtful short performances created by our Tyne Valley and Highfield groups.
The hall will be transformed into a vibrant performance space; expect to be taken to outer space, unleash your inner nerd, learn something new and have a good laugh, all while the Parish Hall lights up around you!
Cliick here for Light Up Tyne Valley Access information
Accessibility Contact
Please contact Elinor Bryant at [email protected] or phone 07724 527 830 to discuss specific accessibility needs or requests. We provide free carer tickets on request.
Key Information
Performance start times: 4pm & 6pm
Running time: approx. 1 hour without an interval
Age guidance: Suitable for all ages
On Arrival
Audience Activities & Participation
This event will be fun and welcoming, and we encourage the audience to get involved as much as they feel comfortable. The audience will be spoken to directly (as a group) during the show and invited to make suggestions during improv sections.
Before the show starts, we will have some fun, interactive light–themed crafts and activities, which audience members can choose to take part in.
You will be told when the show is due to begin and invited to take your seats in good time.
Audience Layout & Seating
About the show
We try to make our performances as welcoming and inclusive as possible. Our shows are informal; you can leave, stim, have snacks and soft drinks, go to the toilet, and re-enter as needed, but please be considerate of other audience members and our young cast (for example, try to leave as quietly as you can, avoid very noisy food such as crisp packets).
Please contact Elinor Bryant at [email protected] or phone 07724 527 830 to discuss specific accessibility needs or requests. We provide free carer tickets on request.
Key Information
Performance start times: 4pm & 6pm
Running time: approx. 1 hour without an interval
Age guidance: Suitable for all ages
On Arrival
- The performance space will open 15 minutes before the show start time.
- Mortal Fools staff will be there to welcome and assist you.
- Programmes, scripts, wellbeing info, and a small number of fidget toys, ear plugs, and ear defenders will be available in the foyer.
Audience Activities & Participation
This event will be fun and welcoming, and we encourage the audience to get involved as much as they feel comfortable. The audience will be spoken to directly (as a group) during the show and invited to make suggestions during improv sections.
Before the show starts, we will have some fun, interactive light–themed crafts and activities, which audience members can choose to take part in.
You will be told when the show is due to begin and invited to take your seats in good time.
Audience Layout & Seating
- Seating is not reserved unless requested in advance e.g. for access needs.
- For wheelchair users or people with specific seating needs, please contact Elinor Bryant on the details above.
- Latecomers will be seated at an appropriate time but might not be seated with their group.
About the show
We try to make our performances as welcoming and inclusive as possible. Our shows are informal; you can leave, stim, have snacks and soft drinks, go to the toilet, and re-enter as needed, but please be considerate of other audience members and our young cast (for example, try to leave as quietly as you can, avoid very noisy food such as crisp packets).
- 29 young people will be performing during the show.
- The show will be fun and light-hearted and is suitable for all ages, but we recommend for ages 7+ due to the length of show (1 hour without interval). There is some content which touches on potentially difficult themes of climate change, mental health, war (very briefly mentioned as part of a news headline) and the cost-of-living crisis.
- The main themes of the show include pop culture, nerd culture, environmental activism and outer space.
- The hall will primarily be lit with soft lighting, including at the beginning and end of the show. Throughout the show there will be a variety of lighting effects including black outs and flashing lights. We will instruct our cast on using handheld torches considerately but there is a risk they could be accidently shone into the audience, so please be aware of this if you are sensitive to light.
- Music and prerecorded audio will be used. We recommend bringing your own noise-cancelling earbuds / headphones if you are sensitive to sound.
- Unfortunately, BSL interpretation or live captioning is not available for Light Up Tyne Valley.
- Sections of the show are improvised.
- For the pre-scripted sections of the show, a small number of printed scripts will be available at the event, and we will also update this access information with a link to digital scripts 3 days before the show. Due to our young cast and the nature of the show, we can’t guarantee that these scripts will be followed exactly.
Light Up Ashington - 1st February 2025
Bookable performance slots throughout the day
Get set for this exciting event bursting with colour, mystery and creativity, to help you embrace your guiding light!
Enjoy playful short performances, fun film and sound pieces and captivating light installations, created by our Ashington Youth Theatre and our Creative Interventions groups based in schools and youth settings.
More details and ticket information coming soon
Get set for this exciting event bursting with colour, mystery and creativity, to help you embrace your guiding light!
Enjoy playful short performances, fun film and sound pieces and captivating light installations, created by our Ashington Youth Theatre and our Creative Interventions groups based in schools and youth settings.
More details and ticket information coming soon
Photos from past youth theatre projects and rehearsals
Keep an eye on our social media for regular updates and fun behind-the-scenes content. Follow us at @mortalfoolsuk on all platforms.
And as always follow our mailing list to hear about upcoming events.
And as always follow our mailing list to hear about upcoming events.
