Between Autumn 2024 and Spring 2025, our Youth Theatre groups have been working on Light Up; 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're 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!
Light Up Ashington - 1st February 2025
Bookable slots at 15:30, 16:05, 16:40, 17:45, 18:20, 18:55
NCEA Dukes Secondary School
Get set for this exciting youth theatre event bursting with colour, mystery and creativity, to help you embrace your guiding light!
You’re invited to explore the Gallery of Light at Dukes Secondary School, taking in 4 playful short performances and 3 thoughtful installations, all created by our Ashington Youth Theatre and Creative Interventions groups based at Dukes Secondary School and YMCA Northumberland.
We'll take you on a magical journey where you’ll meet fairies and shadow creatures, indulge in childhood nostalgia as we reignite long-forgotten memories, and share what brings us joy in the hopes of sparking yours.
NCEA Dukes Secondary School
Get set for this exciting youth theatre event bursting with colour, mystery and creativity, to help you embrace your guiding light!
You’re invited to explore the Gallery of Light at Dukes Secondary School, taking in 4 playful short performances and 3 thoughtful installations, all created by our Ashington Youth Theatre and Creative Interventions groups based at Dukes Secondary School and YMCA Northumberland.
We'll take you on a magical journey where you’ll meet fairies and shadow creatures, indulge in childhood nostalgia as we reignite long-forgotten memories, and share what brings us joy in the hopes of sparking yours.
Click here for Light Up AShington Access information
Accessibility Contact
Please contact Elinor Bryant at [email protected] or phone 07724 527 830 to discuss specific accessibility needs or requests. We can provide free carer tickets on request.
Key Information
On Arrival
This will be a promenade event. This means that instead of staying in one place throughout the entire show, audience members will move around and watch multiple short performances in different areas throughout the school. This will include four live performances, and three installations. There will be a prerecorded introduction video at the start of the event and then the audience will be guided around the venue.
The Venue
Dukes Secondary School is fully wheelchair accessible. It has a bus stop located nearby. Click here for more information about bus routes: Bus Services in Ashington | Arriva Bus
Dukes Secondary School has two car parks. The main visitor car park is accessible from Academy Road and is approximately a 2-minute walk from the main entrance. There is also a small car park located beside the main entrance which is accessible from Exeter Close. We recommend those with access needs use the Exeter Close car park. If you are able to, we ask you use the larger Academy Road car park to keep the smaller one clear for those with access needs.
Audience Activities & Participation
At the end of the show, audience members will be invited to make their own personal contributions to our ‘Light Up’ exhibition. This includes simple, creative activities such as creating your own ‘Light Up’ merchandise or adding to our ‘guiding light’ display. We encourage the audience to get involved as much as they feel comfortable and there will be Mortal Fools staff available to support you to do so.
Audience Layout
About the show: Supporting audience needs
We try to make our performances as welcoming and inclusive as possible and encourage you to do what makes you feel comfortable. If you need to fidget or stim, that is not a problem; we will have some fidget toys available and we just ask you to be mindful of our young cast.
If you need to leave the hall during the live performances (these will last approximately 30-40 minutes) to go to the toilet or take a break, that is fine. An audience steward will be able to guide you to the nearest exit from the hall. If you want to re-join your audience group after taking a break, we will try our best to accommodate this, however this may not always be possible. You will be able to rejoin them at the final installation and are free to explore this area while you wait for them. Please avoid taking food and drink into the main hall.
About the show: key details
Please contact Elinor Bryant at [email protected] or phone 07724 527 830 to discuss specific accessibility needs or requests. We can provide free carer tickets on request.
Key Information
- Performance start times: 15:30, 16:05, 16:40, 17:45, 18:20, 18:55
- Running time: approx. 70 minutes
- Age guidance: Suitable for all ages
On Arrival
- Please arrive approximately 5 minutes before the show start time, so we can get you checked in ahead of the briefing starting.
- Mortal Fools staff will be there to welcome and assist you.
- Scripts, wellbeing info, and a small number of fidget toys, ear plugs, and ear defenders will be available at the box office.
- Please be aware that there are overlapping performances, and therefore we ask that audience members do not arrive too far in advance of their allotted time.
This will be a promenade event. This means that instead of staying in one place throughout the entire show, audience members will move around and watch multiple short performances in different areas throughout the school. This will include four live performances, and three installations. There will be a prerecorded introduction video at the start of the event and then the audience will be guided around the venue.
The Venue
Dukes Secondary School is fully wheelchair accessible. It has a bus stop located nearby. Click here for more information about bus routes: Bus Services in Ashington | Arriva Bus
Dukes Secondary School has two car parks. The main visitor car park is accessible from Academy Road and is approximately a 2-minute walk from the main entrance. There is also a small car park located beside the main entrance which is accessible from Exeter Close. We recommend those with access needs use the Exeter Close car park. If you are able to, we ask you use the larger Academy Road car park to keep the smaller one clear for those with access needs.
Audience Activities & Participation
At the end of the show, audience members will be invited to make their own personal contributions to our ‘Light Up’ exhibition. This includes simple, creative activities such as creating your own ‘Light Up’ merchandise or adding to our ‘guiding light’ display. We encourage the audience to get involved as much as they feel comfortable and there will be Mortal Fools staff available to support you to do so.
Audience Layout
- Audience will be standing and moving throughout the event, but the performances will be in the hall and adjoining rooms so you will not be required to walk far.
- The venue is wheelchair accessible and there will be chairs and stools available for those who need them on the day. If you’d like to discuss access needs beforehand, please get in touch with the details above.
- Latecomers will be able to join at an appropriate time. If necessary, you might be asked to join the following audience group.
About the show: Supporting audience needs
We try to make our performances as welcoming and inclusive as possible and encourage you to do what makes you feel comfortable. If you need to fidget or stim, that is not a problem; we will have some fidget toys available and we just ask you to be mindful of our young cast.
If you need to leave the hall during the live performances (these will last approximately 30-40 minutes) to go to the toilet or take a break, that is fine. An audience steward will be able to guide you to the nearest exit from the hall. If you want to re-join your audience group after taking a break, we will try our best to accommodate this, however this may not always be possible. You will be able to rejoin them at the final installation and are free to explore this area while you wait for them. Please avoid taking food and drink into the main hall.
About the show: key details
- Cast: Approx 19 young people will be performing during the event.
- Age Recommendation: 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 the event (70 minutes without interval).
- Themes & Content: The event covers a wide range of themes including memories, fantasy creatures and the people that guide us in life. One performance includes reference to adults drinking alcohol.
- Lighting: The venue will have a low glow of warm lighting during the event. Different LED torches and lighting effects will be used throughout the show and visual projections will be used in the installation area. 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.
- Audience route: The guided route will be clearly marked with glowing neon rope. The audience will be guided through in single file and no sound or projection will be used when audience is moving between areas.
- Music & Sound: There will be music and sound throughout the performances and in the installation area. We recommend bringing your own noise-cancelling earbuds / headphones if you are sensitive to sound. Silent disco headphones will be used for some performances and the audience will be prompted when they need to use these.
- BSL & Scripts: Unfortunately, BSL interpretation or live captioning is not available for Light Up Ashington. 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 at least 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 Tyne Valley
Our youth theatre members shone bright at Light Up Tyne Valley. This creative cabaret event at Riding Mill Parish Hall was a fantastic showcase of funny and thoughtful short performances created by our Tyne Valley and Highfield groups.
The hall was transformed into a vibrant performance space where we were taken to outer space, unleashed our inner nerds, learnt something new and had a good laugh, all while the Parish Hall lit up around us!
The hall was transformed into a vibrant performance space where we were taken to outer space, unleashed our inner nerds, learnt something new and had a good laugh, all while the Parish Hall lit up around us!
Photos from the Light Up Tyne Valley event
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.
