North West Norfolk MP James Wild has met Westacre Theatre's young cast as they rehearse for their production of Remote, as part of a project organised by the National Youth Theatre.
James was joined by newly appointed Directors Sadie & Matt Gist as they watched the teenage cast rehearse for their debut performance of Stef Smith's Olivier Award-winning production of Remote..
Each year, Westacre Theatre partners with Connections, a youth festival involving 300 youth groups across the country run by The National Youth Theatre. Westacre Theatre is the only venue in West Norfolk, North Norfolk, and Breckland to offer teenagers this unique opportunity to perform on a professional stage.
The first two public performances are on Saturday 19th February with more shows planned for April. Then, later in the year, the cast will perform in Norwich, along with other youth groups.
James was impressed by the quality of the students' performance and Westacre's strong track record of providing workshops and bursaries, providing many deserving young people a helping hand onto the first rung of the ladder in their successful careers.
Commenting after the visit James said:
"It was a pleasure to be invited to watch the students rehearse Remote ahead of the show opening and I was impressed by their commitment and the high quality performance. It is very welcome that Westacre Theatre benefited from the government's Culture Recovery Fund to deliver better facilities and create more opportunities for local performers. West Norfolk is fortunate to have this creative venue for local people to come and experience all the arts have to offer."
Commenting Sadie Gist, Director said:
” We are delighted that James will be paying a half-term visit to us at Westacre and getting to see first-hand the magic of youth theatre in action. Creative work with young people is at the heart of what we do at Westacre Theatre and we are so glad to be welcoming young actors back again, for youth theatre workshops and for productions. We all know how much the Arts can contribute to wellbeing. After the last two years, creative experiences like the National Theatre Connections Festival are such a wonderful opportunity for local teenagers. We hope he enjoys his sneak peak of the play Remote by Stef Smith ahead of the opening performances on Saturday 19 February at 4pm & 7pm.”
Last year, Westacre welcomed financial support from the government's Culture Recovery Fund enabled the Theatre to expand post-pandemic. James was shown the permanent outdoor stage with new sound and lighting under a canvas canopy, the new projection equipment to present the summer drive-in evening, and the improved seating for the 80-seater studio auditorium.
Tickets for the production Remote can be purchased on Westacre Theatre’s website: Westacre Theatre (thelittleboxoffice.com)
