Release Date: 31/07/2008
The theatre skills of young people in the borough were showcased at the ‘South West Side Story’ performance at the Council-run Powerstation Youth Club last week.
The performance was inspired by West Side Story, a Hollywood adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, however the title was changed to reflect where the young people live.
The story is a tale of love, gangs and death and was used as a way for the youngsters to reflect on their own personal life experiences. They also incorporated Capoeira – a Brazilian martial art that combines dance.
The show brought together young people from Powerstation Youth Club, Castelnau Youth Club and other local youth support services. They took part in 30 workshops over two weeks and were supported by a professional drama teacher, a dance tutor, a stage creator and a music technician.
Cllr Liz Jaeger, Cabinet Member for Youth, Culture and Leisure on Richmond Council, said:
“This is a great initiative that gave young people the opportunity to work on their performance talents, express themselves, stay busy during the school break as well keep fit by learning Capoeira.
“Congratulations to all the young people for providing such an entertaining show, which I am sure everyone enjoyed.”