REVIEW: Thame Youth Theatre

Thame Youth Theatre performing Skellig PNL-171007-095606001

I visited Lord Williams's School on Friday June 23 to watch the opening night of Thame Youth Theatre's performance of Skellig.

The show featured a cast of nine, aged between 14 and 18.

I was particularly interested to see this show, having read Skellig as a child.

All the cast gave impressive and very professional performances.

They were all on stage for the duration and many doubled up on roles.

Given that the show was in a school drama studio it meant there had to be a lot of creativity to reflect the scene changes.

A lot of this was simple and effective and it helped keep the show flowing.

The turning round of chairs indicated a change of location, often to the school classroom, while the cast that doubled up wore all black, so the putting on of a top or jacket indicated a change of character.

Thame Youth Theatre perform Skellig - in the centre is Skellig (Joe Harrington) watched by Mina (Maya Wakeling) and Michael (Daniel Bottomly)

There was a lot of good choreography, with the cast that were not acting shining torches in the direction of the action during the scenes in darker locations.

It was hard to pick out a favourite moment but certainly one bit that was memorable for me were the powerful scenes between Michael (Daniel Bottomly) and Dad (Nathan Bottomly).

Joe Harrington was very good in the title role as Skellig and Maya Wakeling was terrific in the role as Michael’s best friend Mina.

As I said earlier, all the cast were brilliant and the rest of them are listed below.

I got the chance to spend some time with the cast after the show and it was clear from talking to them that they all get on very well and enjoy working together.

This may come from the fact that there were two brothers and two sisters in the cast!

This was the first night of two, and I’m sure the Saturday evening show was just as polished.

I hope to be able to watch the youth theatre again in the future, and who knows maybe some of the cast will be seen on a nearby stage or screen in a few years time!

The rest of the cast:

Rebecca Surridge- Mum

Katie Wakeling- Nurse/ Miss Clarts/ Lucy Carr

Ruby Hamilton- Leaky/ Dr McNabola

Ellie Hall- Coot

Lottie Ayres- Rasputin

Myrin Turner-Zealey- Mina’s mum/ Old lady

Directors: Paige Fox-Rendle and Tom Mackriell

Neil Shefferd is a former reporter at the Thame Gazette and a member of an amateur dramatics group based in Buckinghamshire.