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History in The Making, the multimedia theatre performance exploring and celebrating unitytheatre’s history and
heritage written by Tracy Aston and Directed By Helen Flooks, was performed by unityyouththeatre in June 2005 to full houses.
The Following are some of the key points from the evaluation of the project, which began last year,
by Helen and the rest of the Team.
It has been a highly productive, hard working and enjoyable final phase of the youth theatre project culminating
in a highly successful week of public performances with additional developments as a result of this project.
The project has stayed on course and has fulfilled its original aims in the production of a multimedia theatre performance exploring celebrating unitytheatre’s history
and heritage.
The group’s discovery of the roots of unitytheatre as a passionate theatre movement fuelled by social injustice, the Spanish Civil War and the desire to provide theatre
for the masses inspired the young people to raise awareness of social injustice which has resonance with them.
They chose MAKE POVERTY HISTORY campaign and the timing of the G8 summit and Hyde Park Concert could not have been planned better as our
performances took place in the same week!Helen Flooks directed the show titled “History in the Making” with the assistance of Bianca Judd.
The multimedia theatre performance had very high production values, great characterisations and entertaining story telling and the group became a solid supportive company through their experience of
working together on a collective aim and vision.
Achievements & Successes
On 28, 29, 30 June and 1 July unityyouththeatre performed the first ever unityyouththeatre
production – “History in The Making” to approx 600 people (sold out with waiting list on last night). The show was extremely well received and attended by members of other local youth theatres and Liverpool’s Culture Company.unityyouththeatre
were invited to perform extracts from the play as part of the Liverpool Children’s Festival on 4 August at St George’s Hall and
also at the new Treasure House Theatre @ Liverpool World Museum. They were great ambassadors for the Heritage Lottery Fund and unitytheatre. Angela Heslop a producer for Radio Merseyside is currently in discussion with UYT to develop a 55-minute radio play of “History
in the Making”. unitytheatre have asked UYT to perform extracts from the play on9 September for unity’s official 25th Anniversary Celebration. The group have asked the unity if they can continue to develop the youth theatre themselves using the unity as the base for this. Ways forward are being sought.
Additional project Staff
Our research findings and material provided the basis for the story of “History in the Making”. Tracy Aston worked with members the group to develop devised work
into script with the final draft ready on 4 April. At this point many of the ensemble-devised sections were in shape and the group took on the script with joy!
Patrick Dineen worked with the music sub group to create live instrumentation for the performances comprising of Double Bass, Violin, 2 x flutes, Drum & Percussion and
Vocals.The sub group were involved in creating the pre-recorded sound track for particular areas of the show. The entire group delivered live singing and vocal soundscapes during the show.
Louise Flooks worked with the design sub group developing their ideas and guiding the design concept to a beautiful and practical set and overall look for the show. The costume comprised of full historical representation of the
times (1930’s – 1944).The second half costume comprised of a red unityyouththeatre t-shirt (with the Heritage Lottery logo) giving the company a sense of ownership and uniformity.
Tristan Brady Jacobs worked with the multi-media sub group on compiling archive footage and images and also worked with the group on live imaging techniques that were incorporated into the show.Jane Watson delivered a filmmaking mini-project
and the young people became the crew and actors producing vox pops and images that were also integrated into the performance.
Paul Skinner took one member on a very practical and educational journey with the lighting and sound design and this youth theatre member operated the lighting for the shows.He
has discovered a talent for technical theatre work and plans to take up appropriate higher education training.The final production involved 25 performers and one person as the technician from the group.
Over the project duration the group have welcomed nearly 50 young people who wanted to “try out” the youth theatre (not all stayed
involved in this project for a variety of reasons). We are determined to carry on working with UYT project members to continue to develop their experiences and we also have a waiting list for
future projects currently in development.
The group themselves gave their own feedback after the performance
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE PART OF THE SHOW AND WHY?
“Everything – please , please,please, can we do it again?”
“I enjoyed all of it but mostly the game show”
“The songs and the facist /anti-facist march”
“The game show – hard to keep a straight face – great!”
“The songs were the best as well as the dancing”
“Ensemble pieces / 21stcentury rap cos they are very energetic & everyone is involved”
“Quiz show – it was fun!”
“The game show – cos its cool”
“The drop the debt song and the applause that followed – it was a lot of fun”
“The Liverpool street scene because it showed the sadness and happiness at the same time – and all the songs YEAH”
“ All of it”
“ MakePovertyHistory song because it rocked the world!”
“The raps cos they were gangsta!”
“ I enjoyed the 21stcentury song – it was so fun!”
“…was standing in the wings with Gemma and dancing to the music that was playing as the audience came in – oh yeah!”
WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED ABOUT THEATRE AND THE PROCESS OF CREATING A THEATRE SHOW?
“Hard work – but fab!”
“That it takes longer than you think to come up with an original show and it takes a lot of commitment to go through with it”
“It’s important that everyone gives their all (and doesn’t mumble)”
“that it’s hard work but fun at the same time”
“that its hard work to put on a show and Helen & Bianca are good to put up with us!”
“That it takes a lot of hard work and commitment – but it is so worthwhile in the end!”
“ so much I can’t think of all of it off the top of my head …..how much I enjoy theatre”
“It’s really difficult – good on Helen & Bianca though!”
“A LOT !!! – I feel like I’ve learnt more about designing & creating a show”
“You have to put a lot of work into it but it’s worth it in the end”
“It is really hard work”
“Its good fun, tiring and cool!”
“I’ve learnt it’s very tiring and there’s loads of rehearsals”
“The work the helpers do to make it fab! We really appreciate it! PS I knew that already”
“That it’s great fun!”
“It’s hard”
“That it’s very hard work – but really fun”
“ to project your voice and look at all the audience”
WHAT THINGS DID YOU FIND DIFFICULT?
“I found it hard to change characters quickly between scenes”
“ keeping quiet”
“playing the seller character”
“Drop the Debt song cos it was hard to keep rhythm going”
“Trying to stop the audience looking miserable during some shows”
“I found improvising hard as everyone was so much better than me but that’s why I progressed so much”
“playing a male character”
“probably the line learning because I aint capable of learning and remembering lots of lines but thankfully I remembered them all”
“to lift my head up so people could see my face”
“trying not to laugh when people made mistakes”
“if I had to say anyfink it would be the dancing”
“I thought maintaining my characters limp was difficult “
“ Not to mumble!”
“ I found trying not to laugh when looking at the audience really difficult”
“ quick changes”
“ to project your voice and look at all the audience”
“when we had to come to after school rehearsals”
WHAT POSITIVE THINGS DO YOU THINK THEATRE CAN BRING TO THE COMMUNITY?
“ Everything and Anything”
“ Friendship and love”
“ communication and therapy”
“ It can give the community entertainment but can also give across an important message”
“fresh new ideas and things to think about”
“ young people acting”
“understanding about things happening in the world”
“ understanding and entertainment and knowledge”
“ Everything and everyone”
“ theatre can bring a number of positive things to different subjects, even something based on a morbid event”
“ Knowledge, education, fun, experience and a spirit of teamwork”
WHO WAS YOUR FAVOURITE CHARACTER AND WHY?
“ 21st century – cos she was sic”
“ probs 21st c cos she had the right attitude and everything and was amazing”
“21st C or Prime Minister”
“Albert rocks the world”
“ Harriet ! and 21stCentury
“Albert cos he was good and bold”
“ News was excellent”
“ the lah de dahs as they were totally fab”
“ 21st century or Hannah. They were so different but very genuine and well written and acted”
“ 21st century and Prime Minister (they were unique)
“ Albert “
“ I loved every character”
“ 21st C was my favourite – she was so funny”
“ I loved being the judge with my stick and wig”
“ Albert cos he/she was my old – I mean older person”
“ 21st C cos the costume’s gangsta”
“ My favourite was news cos she was great”
“ Hound on the Ground & 21stC were lively, comical and uplifting”
“ Myrtle was funny – she made me laugh so hard”
“ 21st C and News as they had their own way of presenting who they were to others during the show”
“ The La Di Dahs rocked”
“ Hannah cos she’s so beautiful”
“ Judge rocks – I love the wig and gown!”
“ Albert, because it was me – I also liked 21st C because she had a lot of attitude”
WHO IS GRAHAM FROOD?
“ He is a dude – I think he rocked”
“ someone we should thank!”
“ History in the Making was dedicated to him”
“ He helped set up Unity and died in 2003 – I think the character Albert was based on him”
“ he contributed a lot to the Unity”
“ He was very important. He’d come and watch pretty much every show at the unity and has a placard dedicated to him downstairs by the seat that was reserved for him – he also had an owl with one ear”
“he was the coolest man in the world”
Supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund
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