Places

The contemporary arts group, Off The Rails, is offering another 3 weeks of free summer holiday performance projects in Penrith this year.

Off The Rails is based in Carlisle and creates experimental theatre, performance art and multi-media work with young people in Cumbria. This will be their sixth summer school in Eden.

The differences between boys and girls

For the summer performance projects they're looking for young people in Eden aged between 8 and 18 who are creative, like having fun, and like to do things differently!

The artistic director, Gary Gardiner says "this isn't about auditions or the first step on the ladder to stardom. This is for any young person who wants to have a go, regardless of any acting talent they may or may not have."

There are no scripts and the young people devise the performances themselves. For example, last year they looked at things like adverts or the differences between boys and girls. After a lot of debate they then come up with a performance based on their discussions.

Gary says " also last year we got local older people to write letters about their childhoods and then we based a performance on the differences between growing up now and in the 1930s."

The three weeks begin on Monday 6th August and end on Friday 24th. People can sign up for one, two or all three weeks. The projects are free, although the group says it does ask families to donate what they can afford, if they can.

Childhood then and now

At the end of each week friends, family and members of the  public will be invited along to see a performance which draws together everything that the young people have been working on that week.

You will need to book to take part in the workshops. Application forms are available from the Off The Rails website – www.off-the-rails.org.uk, or call the office on 01228 599878 for more information.