Mortal Fools Youth Theatre
April - December 2021
Mortal Fools have been successfully chosen to work with London based theatre company, Company Three as partners on their new project When This Is Over.
When This Is Over will tell the stories of our young people’s lives across the country and ask the audience to consider what they can do to make sure our young people can achieve the future lives they see for themselves.
The project contains two new plays:
The plays will be devised from a ‘blueprint’ script – this means that some of the structure will already be written, but most of the content will be devised by the young people and inspired by their own lives, ideas and aspirations.
The plays will eventually be performed live and the project will run from April-December. Our different MFYT groups will work across the two plays like this:
Click the buttons below to find out more
When This Is Over will tell the stories of our young people’s lives across the country and ask the audience to consider what they can do to make sure our young people can achieve the future lives they see for themselves.
The project contains two new plays:
- When This Is Over
- 1 - 100 (a companion piece designed for younger members)
The plays will be devised from a ‘blueprint’ script – this means that some of the structure will already be written, but most of the content will be devised by the young people and inspired by their own lives, ideas and aspirations.
The plays will eventually be performed live and the project will run from April-December. Our different MFYT groups will work across the two plays like this:
- Stage 3 (school years 6-10): When This is Over
- Stage 2 (school years 3-6): 1 - 100
- Online mixed age group: Exploring & developing both shows together, based on what the young people are interested in
Click the buttons below to find out more
More example of times we have collaborated with and taken part in Company Three projects:
Brainstorm
Coronavirus Time Capsule.
When This is Over
When This Is Over is a live performance piece in which the young people onstage tell their life stories. They start with their birth, their childhood and the recent past, then the present, and then the story of an imagined future as if it has already happened, all the way through to their death.
It’s very simple, but also really moving. They will explore the ‘7/10’ version of their future – not wildly optimistic and not tragic - just a hopeful life that is still to be lived. We want the audience to feel responsible for it in some way and not rely on the next generation to save the world.
It’s very simple, but also really moving. They will explore the ‘7/10’ version of their future – not wildly optimistic and not tragic - just a hopeful life that is still to be lived. We want the audience to feel responsible for it in some way and not rely on the next generation to save the world.
1 - 100
1 - 100 is a companion piece suitable for younger groups/performers.
This piece consists of the group being given a sample of ages between 1-100 and creating pieces of performance in different forms to reflect or explore those ages/stages of their lives. This will be open to different forms and will be presented as a complete piece. It can also be their 10/10 lives.
This piece consists of the group being given a sample of ages between 1-100 and creating pieces of performance in different forms to reflect or explore those ages/stages of their lives. This will be open to different forms and will be presented as a complete piece. It can also be their 10/10 lives.
Company Three Gatherings
As part of When This Is Over our members will have the opportunity to connect with other young people from all across the country as part of a series of ‘Gatherings’ led by Company Three.
The gatherings will be big online meet-ups for young people and leaders involved in the project to connect and share. The focus of these gatherings will be less on the play and more on the future of youth theatre and its role in the world.
These gatherings will involve:
The gatherings will be big online meet-ups for young people and leaders involved in the project to connect and share. The focus of these gatherings will be less on the play and more on the future of youth theatre and its role in the world.
These gatherings will involve:
- A series of presentations delivered by Company Three & Invited Guest Artists working in the creative industry
- Creative breakout activities
- Opportunity for young people to network & connect with each other
- Opportunity for young people to share their ideas with each other about the future of youth theatre
Project Timeline
Dates |
Activity |
12th April – 21st June 2021 (term-time only) |
Summer Term: Weekly sessions to start to develop and devise the play |
Saturday 26th June (all day/evening) |
Sharing event – All groups come together to perform extracts from what they’ve been working on so far |
13th September - Early December 2021 |
Autumn Term: Weekly sessions re-commence to devise and rehearse the play |
October Half Term 2021 |
Creative Intervention Sessions: 1 - 2 full day sessions, focusing on wellbeing games/exercises, devising and rehearsal |
Early December - date TBC |
Final performance of the plays |
Group Dates and Locations:
In-person sessions (Riding Mill, Northumberland)
MFYT Stage 2:
|
Age: Open to all young people currently in school years 3 - 5
Date and Time: Thursdays (term-time only), 5:00pm - 6:30pm Location: Riding Mill Parish Hall (Millfield Road, NE44 6DJ) First session: 15/04/2021 Blueprint play: 1 - 100 |
MFYT Stage 3:
|
Age: Open to all young people currently in school years 6 - 10
Date and Time: Tuesdays (term-time only), 6:00pm - 8:00pm Location: Riding Mill Parish Hall (Millfield Road, NE44 6DJ) First session: 13/04/2021 Blueprint play: When This is Over |
MFYT Online group
Our recent online projects meant we could reach young people who live further afield and couldn’t attend weekly in-person sessions. These members have become an important part of our youth theatre community and we want to ensure they can still be involved.
Our MFYT online group will involve
Due to the online group being a mixed age group, we will be exploring & developing both plays (1:100 / When This is Over) together, based on what the young people are interested in.
Our MFYT online group will involve
- 1 x MFYT online session week for members who can’t attend regularly in person.
- Opportunities for the MFYT online group and in-person Stage 3 group to work together via live streaming and occassional in-person activities.
Due to the online group being a mixed age group, we will be exploring & developing both plays (1:100 / When This is Over) together, based on what the young people are interested in.
MFYT Online:
|
Open to all young people based in the North East, currently in school years 5 - 9, who are unable to travel to our in-person session locations on a regular basis.
Date and Time: Tuesdays (term-time only), 6:00pm - 7:30pm Location: Sessions will be held via zoom, with occassional in-person sessions which will take place in locations across the Tyne Valley. First session: 13/04/2021 |
