News
StreetCombo bloom
18 Aug 2011
Bounce Theatre is delighted to find out their youth theatre, StreetCombo have been accepted into the 2012 National Theatre Connections Festival!
StreetCombo was established by Bounce in 2010, following a commission from the Arts Council to deliver a Be Creative Be Well Project. The group is resident on the Meadows Estate in the TW4 area of Hounslow.
Within no time at all, 25 young people were crammed into the small room on the estate making theatre. They mounted a devised performance in the community room and it turned out they weren't ready to finish with the end of the commission. Bounce worked with Extended Schools Services to obtain further funding, which has led to them mounting a production of GrImm Tales at the Paul Robeson followed by Laura Wade's Alice Tara Arts Studio. The group have also coupled this with local community events, such as door to door carol singing on the estate with ladies over 50.
Group member Megan Scott says of the experience " I think StreetCombo is great because I absolutely love drama. I watch T.V and say I wish I was that person. I BELIEVE that this is possible with a little help from StreetCombo could let me be that person I'd always dreamed of being."
The opportunity to be part of Connections is allowing the group to try new and modern scripts, a challenge which they are relishing - with group members already reading the scripts to help decide which one suits them best. They have been partnered with the Rose Theatre in Kingston, so will have the opportunity to perform for an evening. Group director Louise Pendry says "The opportunity to be part of the Connections Festival is an amazing chance for this group to experience performing in a large working venue. I can't wait to start working on the script with them and I am already very proud of them!"
For more information about StreetCombo, or to follow their journey to the Rose Theatre please visit http://www.bouncetheatre.com/join-in/youth-theatre.
All the children were able to engage with the workshops at their own level and some fantastic stories have been written since!