Last week, our in-house Playhouse Youth Theatre and Playhouse Adult Company participants took to the stage in their end of year performances.

With both groups performing to sold-out audiences, the productions celebrated the creativity and dedication of our participants, highlighting how a play can so wonderfully evolve through collaboration whilst working in a dynamic and creative rehearsal room.

The Playhouse Youth Theatre kicked off the week with School Tripped, an original play devised by the young participants. Working on the piece over the last term, the group turned an average school expedition into a wacky comedy fit for the stage. 

Drawing on the connections that can be made during a shared experience and the subsequent antics that ensue, the Youth Theatre showcased the original characters and stories that they had formed within their weekly sessions. 

Presented in the Burton Taylor Studio, the piece was directed by Youth Theatre leader, Lucy Findlay, assisted by Caitlin Kirby and Ben Newman. On helping to realise the participants' story, Lucy said:

"This piece is a reflection of their own hilarious stories and characters, devised entirely by them. Having spent ten weeks developing the piece in our Youth Theatre sessions, this production is a testament to what our young people can produce in such a short space of time."

At the end of the week, the Playhouse Adult Company returned to the Main Stage with a striking production of The Visit. Friedrich Dürrenmatt's vivid tale of politics, past loves and revenge was exceptionally performed by our multi-generational ensemble, who had spent the last two terms exploring and developing the work in the rehearsal room. 

Set against the backdrop of the 1960s, the Adult Company's adaptation wove together sexual politics, dark humour and a gripping dramatic twist that pushed questions of morality to their limits. To heighten the play's intensity, the Main Stage at The Playhouse was once again transformed into an intimate studio space, placing the audience at the very heart of the action. 

The production was directed by Emma Webb, assisted by Lucy Findlay. The creative team featured Immy Howard as Set & Costume Designer, Will Hayman as Lighting Designer and Augustine Van Spyk as Sound Designer. On working with this year's company, Emma said:

"It is always a pleasure to work with this group. Over the last few years they have become a strong, cohesive ensemble that supports and challenges itself from within. My job is to shape, cajole and sometimes poke the hornets nest to push them onwards and upwards, sometimes out of themselves, other times to delve deep into what they know, and what they might have forgotten that they know! The results are a continuously evolving and engaging company with whom I am honoured to work with." 

Both Youth Theatre and Adult Company terms will culminate this week with an evaluation session.  A huge well done to all of our participants for their commitment and passion - the entire Oxford Playhouse team could not be more proud of all your hard work!

Looking ahead to this week, the work of our Playmaker Later cohort and Playhouse Playmakers will be showcased in our Burton Taylor Studio. These sharings will give audiences an exclusive chance to see how the participants' scripts have evolved over one year of working as Playhouse attached artists.