Local acting students give voice to young people in play tackling homelessness

Final year boomsatsuma .

Bullet doesn’t want to call a hostel home. Eritrean Girl was smuggled here in a lorry. Singing Boy dreams of seeing his name in lights and Garden Boy just wants to feel safe. Homelessness amongst young people in the UK is at a record high, so when does the big society doesn’t work – where do you go?

The final year students of boomsatsuma’s Professional Acting Diploma will be performing ‘Home’ written by Nadia Fall at the People’s Republic of Stokes Croft in February of 2019.

Home brings to life the unheard voices of the young residents and staff who live and work behind the anonymous concrete walls of a high rise hostel. Using real testimonials alongside this play asks what it really means to call somewhere home and provides a vivid picture of life in a homeless hostel. The play is based on real interviews carried out by Nadia Fall in hostels in East London in 2012/13 with an aim to give a voice to the all-too-often silenced young people of the UK and beyond.

‘Home’ is being performed at the People’s Republic of Stokes Croft. Stokes Croft itself is known locally as an area of freedom of expression, political street art but also homelessness making it an interesting and relevant location for a play seeking to raise awareness of the growing issue in the area. The PRSC works hard to help help Stokes Croft to recognise its special qualities, by improving the streetscape through direct action, creative projects, events and the involvement of local people.

The Professional Acting Diploma, which was launched in September 2017, is a unique post-16 course created in Bristol which offers drama training by industry professionals. It is a two year, full time course and was developed in association with the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School – part of the Conservatoire for Dance and Drama, and one of the leading drama schools in the world.

The production is directed by South-West based theatre director Aaron Parsons who has a Masters in directing from Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and works as a free lance director as well as teaching on the boomsatsuma Professional Acting Diploma.

‘Home’ has been designed by Lizzie Watts, with lighting by Jenny Roxburgh and sound by Jack Drewry. Last year boomsatsuma announced the course’s patron, Netflix’s Daredevil star, Charlie Cox. In an interview about the acting course, Mr Cox said “boomsatsuma’s new Professional Acting Diploma is an excellent preparation for drama school” and that “young people aged 16 can, for the first time, really experience what acting training is all about and can get a head start learning their craft”.

The production will be shown from the 6th to the 9th February at The Peoples Republic of Stokes Croft at 7:30pm. Tickets are available on Eventbrite by searching Home By Nadia Fall or by going to www.boomsatsumapresentshome.eventbrite.co.uk  

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