It’s the final week of rehearsals for the York Theatre Royal Youth Theatre Production of Wendy and Peter Pan. The young cast are working hard to bring this classic tale to life.
Ahead of the show opening this week we caught up with some of the Lost Boys, to find out why they wanted to get involved with the show and what magic audiences can expect.
What made you want to take part in Main Stage Summer?
Astrid: I love acting! I started doing Youth Theatre here when I was six years old and I love any opportunity to be on stage. I enjoy the story of Wendy and Peter Pan and Neverland because it’s full of magic, and theatre is full of magic too.
George: I really enjoy performing and acting and this is a great opportunity.
Aaron: It’s fun and I really like acting.
Freddie: I saw it as an opportunity to develop my acting skills and become more professional and I thought I’d enjoy it, especially after exams and GCSE’s.
Gabriela: Recommendations from friends who are part of it, a passion for acting and being familiar with the directors from Access all Areas.
Milo: I’ve always done the Play in a Week and wanted to challenge myself and perform to a bigger audience.
Angus: I went to see some shows in London and then felt inspired.
Kai: I’ve been a part of Access all Areas for a while, and it’s always been my safe place. Lydia is the co-director, and I am familiar with her so I knew it would be a fun, safe place.
Eva: I wanted to do what I love, ACTING! It’s my favourite thing to do because you never know what’s going to happen and adapting to that is so fun!
Ace: I really love acting and the Access all Areas group at York Theatre Royal has been so amazing, so I wanted to do more work with them. Also, a lot of my really cool acting friends are in it.
What do you love about performing?
Ace: I love being able to become a character and share a story with others.
Freddie: I love to perform because it brings out a different side to myself and it helps me feel emotion. As an empath myself, I feel all the feelings of these characters, and I love to experiment too.
Astrid: The reason I love performing is because up there on the stage you don’t have to be yourself, you can be anyone you want, and it feels like anything is possible.
Gabriela: I love physicality, character interactions and adding charismatic touches to spoken lines.
Milo: I love performing because I love making people feel entertained.
Eva: I love being in the wings waiting for your turn to see the audience! This will be my first time performing on the stage and I am so excited!
What are you most excited about?
George: I’m excited about performing on the Main Stage again.
Astrid: Everything! The props, the costumes, the performances, it’s all so exciting.
Gabriela: Finding ways to interact and collaborate with the other actors on stage, as well as make friends and have fun. I’m also excited to watch and learn the styles of other actors to improve my own skill.
Milo: Performing!
Eva: I am excited to walk out onto the stage and see the audience, it’s so exhilarating.
Ace: I am excited to work with lots of really cool people to make an amazing performance for lots of people to enjoy.
Kai: Spending time with my friends.
Angus: The show, pirate dance and feathers!
In three words, how would you describe the show?
George: Exciting, playful, creative.
Freddie: Chaotic, fun, real.
Astrid: Playful, emotional, magic.
Gabriela: Meaningful, adventurous dream.
Eva: Magical, exciting, fun.
Ace: Teamwork, creativity, excitement.
Aaron: Silly, fun, emotional.
If you would spend one day in Neverland, what would you do?
George: I’d go find all the mermaids! Then I’d go to find the pirates and then the Lost Boys den.
Freddie: I would explore the world of it and embrace the different, I hate to use this word, but the exotic. It is essentially a child’s escapist heaven and that would mean it would have so much in it, the lagoon, the forest, the camp, which I imagine with colour and joy. I would also love to just be with the Lost Boys and meet them and live the emotion and chaos. I love meeting people, listening and enjoying people’s company and learning something from it. That’s really what I do as an acting student learning.
Gabriela: Probably try and bring the pirates to group therapy, Peter and Tootles included. I feel like they all need to understand each other and themselves better.
Ace: I would want to play with the Lost Boys and learn how to play Bubble Ball, but I’d also like to meet Captain Hook because she seems really cool.
Why should people come and see the show?
George: I think it’s a really good show to come and see because:
A) It’s a good show.
B) It’s good to support all the young people who have worked really hard on learning lines and choreography.
Freddie: This version of Peter Pan ‘Wendy and Peter Pan’ creates a distinctive and modern perspective of the story, and I believe is something that hasn’t been done before. It also has some great emerging actors, like me and so many others who are really dedicated and want to progress and develop their own style. This is so important in a decade where there are hardly any new actors in films or plays, we need to think about the future and the future is here with this play.
Milo: Because we worked hard to make it the best it can be.
Eva: It’s a great way to see all the talent everyone has, especially the lead roles.
Ace: Because lots of young people have worked hard to make this show amazing and fun for everyone.
Kai: We have worked really hard. Our staff have put their soul into this and have made sure that we enjoy it.
Wendy and Peter Pan is at York Theatre Royal from 03 – 05 September.
Find out more information and book your tickets here.
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