UROCK take Remote by Stef Smith to the National Theatre
The innovative and experimental youth theatre company UROCK, which draws young people from across Peterborough, have won the ultimate accolade for the second time in three years in the National Theatre Connections 2015 Festival of new writing.
Only one performance of each title is invited to perform, and UROCK was chosen to perform REMOTE by writer Stef Smith on Saturday July 4th AT 7PM in the Dorfman Theatre, National Theatre, Southbank.
Artistic Director Diane Goldsmith commented "This is a massive endorsement of the way the company allows every individual to flourish. My colleague Tom Fox is a highly talented director with a special future. I hope everyone associated with creative output in Peterborough will recognise this achievement, and follow our journey through to the performance in London.”
Director Tom Fox said: “this is a testament to the company's hard work. From picking the play in early September last year, to performing it in London in July, everyone has really immersed themselves into every part of the process. This has made a phenomenally tight team of multi-skilled performers. This strength is key to UROCK and its ethos. We are all ecstatic at the prospect of performing at the National Theatre again, especially with a play that we loved exploring. But the hard work starts continues! Let’s make it even better, for London!”
NT Connections commissions new writers to create original work for young people every year.
Only one performance of each title is invited to perform, and UROCK was chosen to perform REMOTE by writer Stef Smith on Saturday July 4th AT 7PM in the Dorfman Theatre, National Theatre, Southbank.
Artistic Director Diane Goldsmith commented "This is a massive endorsement of the way the company allows every individual to flourish. My colleague Tom Fox is a highly talented director with a special future. I hope everyone associated with creative output in Peterborough will recognise this achievement, and follow our journey through to the performance in London.”
Director Tom Fox said: “this is a testament to the company's hard work. From picking the play in early September last year, to performing it in London in July, everyone has really immersed themselves into every part of the process. This has made a phenomenally tight team of multi-skilled performers. This strength is key to UROCK and its ethos. We are all ecstatic at the prospect of performing at the National Theatre again, especially with a play that we loved exploring. But the hard work starts continues! Let’s make it even better, for London!”
NT Connections commissions new writers to create original work for young people every year.
National Theatre Connections 2014 begins
Are you happy now you made me hurt you?’
Kara sits down to write an email to someone she’s never met: her ex-boyfriend’s new girlfriend. Reece was the love of her life and as Kara spills her heart out, we learn just what it took to be with him - from their first meeting in the local park to their final showdown in the hospital. This play with music, explores partner abuse and how it affects not just the couple involved, but their friends and family as well.
After UROCK’s National Theatre success last year, we introduce Matt Rowell, a new young director working with the Company to present this years production. An important story that should be shared and discussed with all, by the writer of Mamma Mia, Catherine Johnson. Please note the play contains some strong language.
Saturday 8th March at 7.30pm. Sunday 9th March at 3pm. Tickets £6.00.
Nene Park Academy, Oundle Road, Peterborough, PE2 7BL
Kara sits down to write an email to someone she’s never met: her ex-boyfriend’s new girlfriend. Reece was the love of her life and as Kara spills her heart out, we learn just what it took to be with him - from their first meeting in the local park to their final showdown in the hospital. This play with music, explores partner abuse and how it affects not just the couple involved, but their friends and family as well.
After UROCK’s National Theatre success last year, we introduce Matt Rowell, a new young director working with the Company to present this years production. An important story that should be shared and discussed with all, by the writer of Mamma Mia, Catherine Johnson. Please note the play contains some strong language.
Saturday 8th March at 7.30pm. Sunday 9th March at 3pm. Tickets £6.00.
Nene Park Academy, Oundle Road, Peterborough, PE2 7BL
Following on from the success of last year.....
Connections is one of the worlds biggest youth theatre festivals and gives companies access to ten newly written plays by world-renowned playwrights. The plays have been written especially for young people. All companies get the chance to present their performance infront of a director who gives feedback and assists the groups through the process. Regional Theatre festivals of all the plays take part, giving the young people the chance to perform and watch theatre along side others in their area. A company is chosen for each play, to perform at the National on the Southbank in London.
This is the UROCK Company's fourth year with the programme. Previous productions were: Ailie and the Alien by Morna Pearson, Journey to X by Nancy Harris and Bassett by James Graham. See below.
This is the UROCK Company's fourth year with the programme. Previous productions were: Ailie and the Alien by Morna Pearson, Journey to X by Nancy Harris and Bassett by James Graham. See below.
UROCK Company performed Ailie and the Alien by Morna Pearson
Part of National Theatre Connections
Director, Tom Fox, and cast members were thrilled to be given Morna Pearson's play Ailie and the Alien for this years Connections Program. With support from the National Theatre, UROCK, along with other groups around the country, had the chance to perform a completely new play written for young people. They performed the play in Wellingborough mid February 2013, and Peterborough early March and finally as part of the regional festival at the Garage in Norwich in late April.
Director, Tom Fox, and cast members were thrilled to be given Morna Pearson's play Ailie and the Alien for this years Connections Program. With support from the National Theatre, UROCK, along with other groups around the country, had the chance to perform a completely new play written for young people. They performed the play in Wellingborough mid February 2013, and Peterborough early March and finally as part of the regional festival at the Garage in Norwich in late April.
Ailie and the Alien by Morna Pearson - PERFORMANCES 2013
'Allie is a human and things have been going wrong for her for a while now. Finn is an alien who has crash landed on earth. When Finn take a shine to Allie things suddenly start going right in her life. But when Finn is summoned to return home everything begins to unravel.'
UROCK performed at the National Theatre in London!
UROCK Youth Company was announced as one of the companies chosen to perform at the National Theatre in London in July 2013. They had been taking part in the NT Connections program for three years and out of 220 youth companies around the country, they were chosen.
10 plays were written and a number of companies perform their chosen play with support from the National in their home towns or cities, but only one from each play gets chosen to go to London. Out of around 30 other groups who selected the same play, UROCK have been chosen to perform Ailie and the Alien by Morna Pearson.
The company performed at The Shed venue (see picture below), on the Southbank, on the 4th July 2013 at 7pm.
10 plays were written and a number of companies perform their chosen play with support from the National in their home towns or cities, but only one from each play gets chosen to go to London. Out of around 30 other groups who selected the same play, UROCK have been chosen to perform Ailie and the Alien by Morna Pearson.
The company performed at The Shed venue (see picture below), on the Southbank, on the 4th July 2013 at 7pm.
UROCK Creative presents Crap Dad by Mark Catley. The play premiered at the Coutyard Theatre, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds in 2004, and it is as relevant now. From the year 2000 to the present, we follow Marie and Paul as they come to grips with unexpected parenthood.
When Paul meets Marie outside the headmaster's office it's hardly love at first sight. More like "what you playing at you frigging psycho?" And when the two sixteen-year-olds find out Marie is pregnant, things get a little dicey. But hindsight is a wonderful thing, and as a grown up Paul waits to meet his children for the first time it's time for some serious thinking. "I drink too much, my toilet looks like a bomb site and I eat crisps for breakfast. I'm not fit to be someone's father".
Performances start at 7pm on Friday 30th August to Sunday 1st September, with a 2pm matinee on the Saturday. It will run for approx 1 hour, and all tickets are £6 on the door. The venue is John Mansfield Centre, Western Avenue, Peterborough.
Join UROCK with their first performances after presenting their last work at the National Theatre in London.
When Paul meets Marie outside the headmaster's office it's hardly love at first sight. More like "what you playing at you frigging psycho?" And when the two sixteen-year-olds find out Marie is pregnant, things get a little dicey. But hindsight is a wonderful thing, and as a grown up Paul waits to meet his children for the first time it's time for some serious thinking. "I drink too much, my toilet looks like a bomb site and I eat crisps for breakfast. I'm not fit to be someone's father".
Performances start at 7pm on Friday 30th August to Sunday 1st September, with a 2pm matinee on the Saturday. It will run for approx 1 hour, and all tickets are £6 on the door. The venue is John Mansfield Centre, Western Avenue, Peterborough.
Join UROCK with their first performances after presenting their last work at the National Theatre in London.
UROCK Creative hosts Open Space to discuss Dance in Peterborough.
UROCK Creative held an Open Space event for all interested parties from Peterborough, named 'What are we going to do about Dance in Peterborough?'. 35 attendees decided on the sessions they wanted to take part in and many conversations and ideas began to grow. Below is the report that came from the evening:
Arts Leaders Training at Royal Opera House Production Park and Backstage Centre Thurrock.
As part of the development process of Peterborough Cultural Partnership, in May 2013 UROCK Creative was commissioned to provide three days of arts based active training to 22 young people with an age range 7-18, 2 parents and 3 UROCK practitioners.
This culminated in setting young people a project challenge to
plan and pitch their own arts event. Using media equipment selling the idea became a central part of their successful projects. The third and final day was a visit to The Royal Opera House Backstage Centre at High House Thurrock in Essex, where young people were able to find out opportunities for career pathways in the creative industry and practise their learning by asking intelligent questions about behind the scene skills and production processes. As a group representing Peterborough, they were much younger than most visitors to ROH & Backstage but were inspired by the facilities and the experts they met.
Jointly funded by Peterborough Learning Partnership and Norfolk and Norwich Festival, this project involved representation of young people from all areas of the city coming together to create a team.
First Creative Primary Schools Tour brought hundreds in to watch their peers DANCE!
St Thomas Moore, Fulbridge Primary and Dogsthorpe Junior were the three stop off points on a one day tour for students to perform dance. Adam Fox, practitioner and workshop leader with UROCK, spent two days with a group of dancers from all three schools. Through movement, Adam and the group constructed a dance out of the activities, games and exercises they did together, culminating in a dance that the students created and owned. On the third day they became ambassadors of their own schools while they travelled to perform what they had created to as many people as possible.
Throughout the day the audience sat in the hall, peeked through windows, looked through doors, heard the music, heard the applause and the rumours spread. The audience numbers were in the top hundreds and the dance became an event.
The project has only just begun, with many other schools taking part at the end of November. Below are the students' comments on the experience...
Throughout the day the audience sat in the hall, peeked through windows, looked through doors, heard the music, heard the applause and the rumours spread. The audience numbers were in the top hundreds and the dance became an event.
The project has only just begun, with many other schools taking part at the end of November. Below are the students' comments on the experience...
UROCK Creative Primary School Tours 1-4
Throughout 2013, four two-day dance residencies at host schools, followed by a one day playground tour of all schools involved, took place. These were an opportunity to engage young people as participants, performers and as an audience for dance and movement. We wanted to encourage a creative and open minded way of looking at dance, so it was accessible to both girls and particularly boys of all abilities. Dance doesn’t have to be on a stage. It can happen anywhere! 10 schools participated over 12 days in 4 clusters. 57 young people participated, 12 teaching assistants, 3 artists, audience figures between 800 and 1000 children.
Supported by the Peterborough Learning Partnership.
- Participants demonstrated that working with new people in new environments challenged themselves beyond the norm.
- Time spent together enabled students to take responsibility for ideas, making decisions, and were able to self-reflect on their own, and others progress, leading to improvement.
- Confidence grew both as individuals, and as a group, when they became committed to demonstrating shared outcomes.
Supported by the Peterborough Learning Partnership.
2014 Creative Primary School Tour 5
This showed variations on the previous concept, by using the stimulus of a book, "Ice Palace " by Robert Swindells, This enabled a good imaginary world and supported literacy skills. 22 students, 4 teaching assistants over 4 schools worked in the host school for 2 days, and on the 3rd, performed in all four schools. Audience was around 700 students.
Outcomes: 1. Leadership skills. 2. Taking responsibility and making good decisions. 3. Risk taking. 4. Seeking out challenge by working in a new environment.
Anne Hampson. Head Teacher Discovery Primary School. "I know our pupils enjoyed the experience and we plan to do a case study to look at the impact on confidence and attitudes. "
Outcomes: 1. Leadership skills. 2. Taking responsibility and making good decisions. 3. Risk taking. 4. Seeking out challenge by working in a new environment.
Anne Hampson. Head Teacher Discovery Primary School. "I know our pupils enjoyed the experience and we plan to do a case study to look at the impact on confidence and attitudes. "
Step up to Artsmark
A Physical Theatre two day residency at Casterton Business College led by Tom Fox of UROCK Creative, and supported by Richard Parnwell, alongside other local artists Rob Fogell Stamford Sculptor, and Lee Ashton Beat This Music Organisation. Artists will be introducing students to new ways of working across their arts subjects, encouraging them to experiment with new practise. The work will be inspired by "Dulce et Decorum Est" by Wilfred Owen.
Funded and supported by The Mighty Creatives.
Funded and supported by The Mighty Creatives.
UROCK Creative facilitates Dance Platform.
UROCK Creative, along with kind support from Creative Peterborough and Ormiston Bushfield Academy, ran a whole day of Dance activity in the city. Students from 3 Secondary schools in Peterborough (Stanground Academy, Voyager Academy and Ormiston Bushfield Academy) came together for a choreographic workshop, facilitated by Neil Paris (Fabulous Beast, SMITH dancetheatre) and local dance practitioner Adam Fox (who recently finished his training at the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts).
The students went through warm-ups and exercises, finding ways of making work through exploring movement ideas and 'worlds', whilst discussing frequently about parts of the movements they found interesting and may want to pursue. The day took place at the Key Theatre on 7th March 2013. .
The students went through warm-ups and exercises, finding ways of making work through exploring movement ideas and 'worlds', whilst discussing frequently about parts of the movements they found interesting and may want to pursue. The day took place at the Key Theatre on 7th March 2013. .
2013
Ailie and the Alien by Morna Pearson
UROCK Company have been rehearsing long and hard and cannot wait to get on to a stage and present the fantastic play Ailie and the Alien by Morna Pearson. The play is part of the National Theatre Connections program. The concept is simple — exciting new plays, commissioned by the National Theatre and performed by youth theatre groups across the UK, with professional support from the NT and its partner theatres.
UROCK has the pleasure of doing a mini tour of the play so hopefully there's a date that everyone can come to. Directed by Tom Fox and performed by incredibly talented students from many of the secondary schools in the wider Peterborough area. They have enjoyed exploring such a moving and funny play...
'Allie is a human and things have been going wrong for her for a while now. Finn is an alien who has crash landed on earth. When Finn take a shine to Allie things suddenly start going right in her life. But when Finn is summoned to return home everything begins to unravel.'
Performances included: The Castle, Wellingborough; Ormiston Bushfield Theatre, Peterborough; The Garage, Norwich and the Royal National Theatre on the Southbank in London.
Dance Platform
On the 7th March 2013, UROCK, along with kind support from Creative Peterborough and Ormiston Bushfield Academy, ran a whole day of Dance activity in the city. Students from 3 Secondary schools in Peterborough (Stanground Academy, Voyager Academy and Ormiston Bushfield Academy) came together for a choreographic workshop, facilitated by Neil Paris (Fabulous Beast, SMITH dancetheatre) and local dance practitioner Adam Fox (who recently finished his training at the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts).
The students went through warm-ups and exercises, finding ways of making work through exploring movement ideas and 'worlds', whilst discussing frequently about parts of the movements they found interesting and may want to pursue.
After this, UROCK held an Open Space event for all interested parties from the city, named 'What are we going to do about Dance in Peterborough?'. The attendees decided on the sessions they wanted to take part in and many conversations and ideas began to grow
The students went through warm-ups and exercises, finding ways of making work through exploring movement ideas and 'worlds', whilst discussing frequently about parts of the movements they found interesting and may want to pursue.
After this, UROCK held an Open Space event for all interested parties from the city, named 'What are we going to do about Dance in Peterborough?'. The attendees decided on the sessions they wanted to take part in and many conversations and ideas began to grow
Playground Tours
The Playground Tours gave students, from different primary schools, three days to work on a new piece of choreography together with dance practitioner Adam Fox. On the last day they toured all their schools and performed the dance in the playgrounds at break times and lunch times, so all the other students in the school could see what they had done.
8 schools participated in 4 clusters over 12 days of residency
57 young people participated
12 teaching assistants
Audience figures of between 800-1000
St Thomas More Primary School
Dogsthorpe Junior school
Fulbridge Primary school [2 groups]
Hampton Vale Primary School [2 groups]
Highlees Primary School
Hampton Hargate Primary School
Woodston Primary School
West Town Primary School
8 schools participated in 4 clusters over 12 days of residency
57 young people participated
12 teaching assistants
Audience figures of between 800-1000
St Thomas More Primary School
Dogsthorpe Junior school
Fulbridge Primary school [2 groups]
Hampton Vale Primary School [2 groups]
Highlees Primary School
Hampton Hargate Primary School
Woodston Primary School
West Town Primary School
2012
Price Tag
Price Tag was a comment on young people in sport in the months leading up to the London Olympics and Paralympics.
A school boy gets signed for a football club, his mum is excited, his friends are a bit worried, his class mates in awe and his fellow players are jealous. Meanwhile, the football debates carry on in pubs around the country and a Dad has to take his daughters to a match.
Written and devised completely by the UROCK Company and Class, performed at Fulbridge School on the 13th July 2012.
A school boy gets signed for a football club, his mum is excited, his friends are a bit worried, his class mates in awe and his fellow players are jealous. Meanwhile, the football debates carry on in pubs around the country and a Dad has to take his daughters to a match.
Written and devised completely by the UROCK Company and Class, performed at Fulbridge School on the 13th July 2012.
Journey to X
Part of the National Theatre Connections Festival 2012. Written by Nancy Harris
A group of young people are on a mission to get to London for the open audition of the world's most popular talent show, before it's too late.
They have to find a name for their group, an outfit that doesn't make them look ridiculous, some fake ID and a way to pay for their flights without alerting their parents. They also have to find five hundred quid and fast...because their journey for fame and fortune is really a journey for something far less glamorous. Something their country doesn't approve of, something their parents wouldn't condone.
It's a decision only one of them can make, whether she wants to or not.
Directed by Tom Fox. UROCK Company performed Journey to X at Ormiston Bushfield Studio in Peterborough on the 25th February; The Castle Theatre in Wellingborough on the 14th April and The Garage in Norwich on the 25th April 2012.
A group of young people are on a mission to get to London for the open audition of the world's most popular talent show, before it's too late.
They have to find a name for their group, an outfit that doesn't make them look ridiculous, some fake ID and a way to pay for their flights without alerting their parents. They also have to find five hundred quid and fast...because their journey for fame and fortune is really a journey for something far less glamorous. Something their country doesn't approve of, something their parents wouldn't condone.
It's a decision only one of them can make, whether she wants to or not.
Directed by Tom Fox. UROCK Company performed Journey to X at Ormiston Bushfield Studio in Peterborough on the 25th February; The Castle Theatre in Wellingborough on the 14th April and The Garage in Norwich on the 25th April 2012.
Voices in the Park
It's amazing how many different people you can meet on one bench. Based on Anthony Browne, a narrator talks us through the bossy woman, the sad man, the lonely girl and the energetic girl.
Performed and devised by members of the class aged 8 - 14 and performed at the Book Festival on the main stage at The Castle, Wellingborough.
2011
Bassett
Part of the National Theatre Connections Festival 2011. Written by James Graham.
Citizenship class at Wootton Bassett School and the supply teacher has gone a bit nuts, doing a runner and locking the pupils in. That’s bad enough, but tensions are higher today than normal, a day when only yards from their confinement a repatriation of fallen British soldiers is happening along the high street – as it has over a hundred times before through this quiet Wiltshire town. And this one is more personal than most …
Bassett is a pacy, funny and exhausting look at young people who have inherited a world at war; who, as they grow older, are starting to ask questions about these conflicts, their country, and themselves.
Directed by Tom Fox. UROCK Company performed Bassett at the Fulbridge School in Peterborough on the 12th and 13th March and The Garage in Norwich on the 28th April 2012.
Citizenship class at Wootton Bassett School and the supply teacher has gone a bit nuts, doing a runner and locking the pupils in. That’s bad enough, but tensions are higher today than normal, a day when only yards from their confinement a repatriation of fallen British soldiers is happening along the high street – as it has over a hundred times before through this quiet Wiltshire town. And this one is more personal than most …
Bassett is a pacy, funny and exhausting look at young people who have inherited a world at war; who, as they grow older, are starting to ask questions about these conflicts, their country, and themselves.
Directed by Tom Fox. UROCK Company performed Bassett at the Fulbridge School in Peterborough on the 12th and 13th March and The Garage in Norwich on the 28th April 2012.
Reduced Cinderella
Words, dance, scenes, sketches, lies, deceit, love and laughter. It's Cinderella like you've never seen it before... oh and, a bit shorter.
A project full of fun and the UROCK spirit. Performed by members of the UROCK Company and Class at the East Midlands Youth Theatre Festival in Wellingborough.
Black and White Notes
Inspired by the music we have on our ipods, Black and White Notes is the personal story of a singer-songwriter before he becomes famous.
Using movement as the theme, scenes of character's lives were performed through dance and streaded paper. Performers made notes on paper through the performance.
An exploration between process and performance.
UROCK Company performed at the East Midlands Youth Theatre Festival in Wellingborough.
Using movement as the theme, scenes of character's lives were performed through dance and streaded paper. Performers made notes on paper through the performance.
An exploration between process and performance.
UROCK Company performed at the East Midlands Youth Theatre Festival in Wellingborough.
2010
The Day That War Began Missing
Grease and Red Balloon
Two summer schools. Grease focusing on the musical theatre genre, and Red Balloon on movement and Dance.
2009
Blood Brothers
A Midsummer Night's Dream
A site-specific performance in the playground of Fulbridge School.
2008
Boy Band
New written play by UROCK members