Posted: 11/04/14
New play tackles youth unemployment
A partnership between Mansfield's Palace Theatre, Create Theatre and West Nottinghamshire College is bringing a new theatre piece to the stage next week with a gritty play aimed at teenagers.
Workshy follows the lives of six friends
Workshy - a drama about six young friends embarking upon their adolescent lives - comes to Create Theatre on Wednesday 23 and Thursday 24 April at 7.30pm.
Through the Write Track, a group for local playwrights led by Kevin Fegan, Workshy was chosen to be professionally-produced by the Palace Theatre. The partnership with the college to deliver the production provides a full-time rehearsal period opportunity for the actors involved, in a professional environment outside of college.
Written by college tutor Andy Dobb, the play, which he originally started writing in 2012, sees six friends who, after getting their A Level results, wake to the first day of the rest of their lives. Harry is not too worried as his parents are well off enough for him to bounce around and work out what he wants to do.
Ben has a job with his dad on the dustbin lorries and is putting money over his studies. Hannah has worked throughout her A Levels. Ruth and Mandy have big ideas about university, but Mandy has just discovered that she and Joe are going to have a baby.
Joe has no plans, no motivation for work and nothing to look forward to. Could a baby really be the answer to his prayers?
Andy Dobb said: "Although this piece was written for and inspired by the students at the college, I hope its characters, stories and themes resonate with a wider audience, young and old.
"What young people do when they leave post-16 education is a subject I care about passionately and one that I have few 'catch all' answers for - I'm hoping the discussion in the theatre after will raise a few!"
Tickets to see Workshy cost £6 all seats and can be purchased by visiting either www.createtheatre.co.uk or www.mansfield.gov.uk/palacetheatre or by calling Create on 01623 413363 or the Palace Theatre Box Office on 01623 633133.
