National Theatre Connexions

"Young and Unique" students perform at the Theatre Royal, Plymouth

Each year the National Theatre commissions ten leading playwrights to write new plays for young people. Callington Community College has been involved most years since the late 90s. In recent years, we have worked under the name ‘Young and Unique', a name created by some Year 10s. This year the actors and stage crew were taken from Gifted and Talented Drama students and ranged from Year 7 (Amber Hall) to Year 12.

The play, Journey to X by Nancy Harris centred on a pregnant 14 year old's quest to raise the money to fly from her home in the Irish Republic to mainland Britain. As a cover story her friends decided that they will audition for the X Factor. It is never clear at the end of the show whether she travels or not. When Jonathon Plunkett, teacher of Drama at the College and the Director of the show attended a workshop at the National Theatre with the writer, it was made clear that the play did not have to be set in Ireland, there just had to be a feeling they were on a journey. The young cast responded to their performances both at the College and at the Theatre Royal, Plymouth magnificently.

One of the greatest achievements was that for the Theatre Royal performance the whole show was ‘called' by students. This was a really professional production and we should be proud of the fact that Callington students once again proved themselves to be the equal of anyone else in the area. There were some really funny moments in the show from Stanley Barker's camp manager to Jess Hawkins' naivety. All this was connected by a special central performance from Amelia Coldman as the pregnant girl. The menacing sexual and physical threats posed by James Ormsby, Tom Ryan and Elliot Coombe cast a dark cloud over scenes enlivened by Molly Bytheway and a superb performance from Beccy Ives. As the rather feckless father of the child Callum MacKellar produced a beautifully innocent performance. The cast was completed by David Speare playing the perennial outsider, never knowing what was going on. Behind the scenes Amber Hall, Martha Roberts and Emma Jenkin's set changes were slick and professional. The sound was operated by Charlie Baylis and there must be a special mention for Laurence Jewell who is developing into a skilled lighting designer and operator, he will be sadly missed.  Along with Jonathon Plunkett, Chris Neve and Lowenna Taylor, our Drama student teacher, helped direct the show.

It is still possible that we will be called to perform at the National Theatre in London, but time is running short.