The Citizens Theatre Announces New Work By Youth Ensembles

The Citizens Theatre today announces exciting new writing to be performed by the theatre's youth ensembles: The Dodo Experiment by the WAC Ensemble and Press 2 For Help by Young Co.

The WAC Ensemble, an exciting and innovative theatre company for care-experienced young adults aged 18 to 26, will present The Dodo Experiment: a thrilling, macabre comedy. Co-written by Martin Travers and WAC Ensemble member, Chloe Wyper, the production follows their 2020 critically acclaimed punk play and winner of the Best Play for Young Audiences at the 2022 Writers' Guild Awards, Whatever Happened to the Jaggy Nettles?

Martin Travers, Playwright and Producer at Citizens Theatre, describes The Dodo Experiment as "Dark, fast, cruel, and funny. I overheard it getting described as George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion meets Squid Game. I quite liked that. It has everything you need to get audiences excited about live theatre again.

He added, "It is a real privilege to be back in rehearsals with the wonderfully talented WAC Ensemble. What makes it even more exciting is to have co-written The Dodo Experiment with ensemble member Chloe Wyper."

Chloe, a member of the WAC Ensemble, commented, "Working with Martin to write this script has been brilliant. I have always wanted to do more writing and working with him has given me the confidence to try something different. This script is also particularly special to me since it is for the WAC Ensemble which I am a part of.

I wanted to create something that was both dark and funny and I think we have achieved that. Our dystopian world - which might feel eerily familiar - explores where the lines cross between right and wrong, life and death and the tough decisions people must make when under pressure."

In partnership with Arts in the City (supported by the National Lottery through Creative Scotland), the WAC Ensemble offers a positive, supportive, and empowering creative space to explore and learn about all aspects of professional theatre-making and to nurture and develop young actors' creative talents.

Also presenting new work is the Citizens Theatre's Young Co with Press 2 For Help: an evening of new work, showcasing short dramatic pieces created by the Citizens Theatre's Young Co in collaboration with professional writers Eve Nicol, Martin O'Connor, Sara Shaarawi and May Sumbwanyambe.

The four new scripts, which will be diverse in form and content, will range from naturalistic and poetic to darkly comic and share the common thread of exploring mental health issues faced by young people. The four writers chosen to mentor the Young Co each offer a unique creative style and have all presented work to both critical and audience acclaim: Nicol, whose credits include the stage adaptation of Belle & Sebastian's iconic album If You're Feeling Sinister for BBC Arts and Avalon and was one of the founding members of Young Co 17 years ago, Shaarawi, writer of Niqabi Ninja which opened at Shubbak Festival in London, followed by a Scotland-wide tour, Sumbwanyambe, whose play After Independence was the winner of the 2016 Alfred Fagon Award and was recently featured in The Scotsman's One to Watch List for 2022, and O'Connor, Creative Writer at Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice and current director of The Tron Theatre's Young Adult Company.

Neil Packham, Citizens Theatre Community Drama Director commented,

"It is thrilling, at last, to start work on our new writing/performance project Press 2 For Help, exploring issues around young people's mental health. Members of the Young Co. had recognised this as a priority before the pandemic hit, little did we know where we were heading and how this issue would be even more important some two years later.

Press 2 For Help runs Fri 25 - Sat 26 March. The Dodo Experiment runs Wed 20 Apr - Sat 23 Apr. Both performances will be presented in the unique surroundings of a vacant office block in central Glasgow.

Tickets available online now from citz.co.uk

If you would prefer to book by phone, our Box Office phoneline is available Tuesday to Thursday, 10am-2pm. 0141 429 0022. You can also email the Box Office team on sales@citz.co.uk

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