Peoples Republic of South Devon

Double the drama (theatre preview)

May 21st, 2008

posted by Cptn

Totnes Young People’s Theatre will present a double feature of murder, mystery and a gang of rampaging pirates on Friday (May 23), which apparently isn’t the usual sort of behaviour for a Friday evening in the South Hams town.

The young actors (aged between 11 and 14) of the Totnes Young People’s Theatre will present Memory of Water, a love story which brings together an inventor, the daughter of a local lord and a gang of 17th century Barbary pirates, who used to steal children from South Hams villages and sell them into slavery.

And the Exquisite Corpse, a melodramatic murder mystery set against the backdrop of the Victorian voting scandals of Totnes. When a troupe of travelling Players arrive to perform at the Seven Stars Hotel, an actress is murdered, the baker’s wife is accused and a Sweeney Todd-style serial killer stalks the town.

TYPT associate director Martin O’Brien said the Youth Theatre had been working with professional theatre producers to explore local history through drama as part of the second Tales From The Keep Heritage Lottery Fund arts project in the town.

He told the PRSD: “TYPT offers a great opportunity for young people to work with established theatre professionals and to devise new work with emerging artists like myself,” he said.

“This is going to be a great double bill and we want to show off our skills and offer more local young people the chance to get involved with the company.”

• Memory of Water and The Exquisite Corpse are at Studio 33, Dartington College of Arts, at 7.30pm on May 23. Entrance is £1.50 for children / concessions and £3.50 for adults.

(image: Tales from the Keep. Check out the Devon Community Foundation for more) 

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Pennies appreciated

Entry Filed under: Arts