Students at City of Wolverhampton College are to experience a world-class live performance when an acclaimed National Theatre touring production takes to the stage at its new city centre campus next Tuesday, 20 October.
The production of Bacchae (Schools’ Version) will be staged at the City Learning Quarter campus in front of an audience of over 100 students enrolled on performing arts and media courses at the college, as well as around 60 pupils from local secondary schools.
The 75-minute schools’ production – an adaptation of the original National Theatre production by Nima Taleghani – is stopping off in the city as part of a nine-week tour of England to give young people the opportunity to engage with high-quality professional theatre without the cost and complexity of travelling to London.
In the production – which features music, rhythm and dance – the Bacchae aren’t standing on the sidelines whilst the men have all the fun. The fangirls may be a pack, but they’re not animals… they are stage-storming powerhouses ready to cause chaos in Thebes.
Whilst the Bacchae maraud in the mountains, their god Dionysos is taking part in his own dysfunctional family Olympics. He’s there to bring down his cousin King Pentheus. All to prove to the chorus of women that he’s more than just the god of rhyme, wine and a good time.
Following the performance, college students will take part in a devising workshop led by members of the production cast and creative team to give them an insight into working together and improvising to bring scenes to life on stage.
Ruth Gavin-Walker, performing arts tutor at the college, said: “We are delighted to have been chosen to host the National Theatre production and that our students will get the chance to experience a world-class performance on their doorstep, as well as work with members of the company and find out about the skills needed for a successful future career.”
The performance at the college has been made possible through a partnership with The Grand Theatre Wolverhampton which will also see students benefit from masterclasses with industry professionals, shadowing and work experience opportunities, and performance-related workshops linked to their syllabus and the theatre’s programme of events.
Picture credit: Mark Brenner
