Last week, the Shooting Fish Theatre Company launched two double-bills of performances in Festival Hall, Market Rasen and Trinity Arts Centre, Gainsborough.
The first performance in each venue was developed and performed by local young people. In Market Rasen, they performed The Incident at Barlow and Newtopia, while at Trinity Arts Centre Trinity they too performed Newtopia and the young performers helped developed and performed “Behind Closed Doors” Inspired by the workhouse they heard about at the Gainsborough Heritage Centre.
Flare students at Community Learning in Partnership (CLIP) worked with Shooting Fish to inspire a new production. They developed the ideas, worked with the script writer, helped audition professional cast members and attended auditions to understand the roles of all those involved. The final play, Newtopia, was well received by audience in both Market Rasen and Gainsborough.
Shooting Fish Theatre Company have been working successfully with young people in Gainsborough to put on an annual performance for 10 years, but this was the first time the company was supported to expand their work with young people outside of Gainsborough to Brookenby and Market Rasen; as well as livestreaming the Trinity Arts performance.
This project was part funded by West Lindsey District Council’s Community Grants Scheme funded by the UK Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Rural England Prosperity Fund.
Chairman of the Council, Councillor Stephen Bunney attended both performances and said:
“It was amazing to see the work that our young people have done both in performance and creating a professional production. I’m also delighted we were able to host Shooting Fish Theatre Company who, working alongside Flare students at CLIP, put all this important work together.”
Emily Bignell, Founder and Artistic Director of Shooting Fish Theatre Company, said:
“We are grateful to West Lindsey District Council for supporting this initiative. This is a great learning opportunity for young people in Gainsborough and the Market Rasen area as well as enabling people of all ages to benefit from and enjoy live theatre developed, produced and delivered in the local area.”