Everyman has a thriving youth theatre and encourages the youth members to integrate in its main season projects as well as in specific youth productions.

Everyman Youth Theatre’s Success

Following a short season of successful fund raising productions, including a sensitive and touching ‘Under Milk Wood’, the Youth Theatre put on a mature and polished performance of Nick Drake’s ‘Success’ as an entry to the 2009 National Youth Theatre connections competition.

Sarah Bawler expertly guided the young people in developing the material and their own abilities, and as a result the production had sparkle and originality alongside professional quality born of expert direction and good teamwork.

Each member of the cast contributed fully without overplaying their parts and there were some outstanding performances. The play portrays a shallow materialistic community into which are thrown Tom Rakewell, played by Tom Coliandris and Lucy played by Hannah Rahmani. Tom is taken in by the easy glamorous life of the infamous Nick Shadow played by Linford Hydes, as initially are the audience. The characters have to struggle with deeper values including real love and loyalty and in the end the easy life is shown to be a sham. The Pizza delivery boys, Ciara Killick and Daisy Melhuish provide brilliant light relief, and the cameo performance of Hannah Lee as the baglady is a real treat.

The musical arrangements, produced by Katie Lindsay demonstrate real talent and devotion and were beautifully rendered by the cast. The accomplished buskers, Thea Young and Ellie James linked the action brilliantly.

Costumes were an important feature of the play, and Eirian Kettle rose to the challenge, designing and making some stunning costumes. The bag lady’s costume and the Singer’s fairy lit gown deserve a special mention.

Altogether this was a very special production, a credit to Everyman, to the Youth Theatre and to Sarah Bawler.