Mortal Fools Youth Theatre is open to young people aged 5–19 years. We run weekly Youth Theatre groups, split by age in Ashington.
At Mortal Fools, we focus on supporting children and young people’s creativity, wellbeing, and self-belief, using the medium of drama. We believe youth theatre can be a brilliant a vehicle to help young people to build their confidence and skills, support their mental heath, and to make sense of the world around them.
There are no auditions, no drama experience necessary, and no fees (although donations are welcome!). All we ask for is a willingness to give things a go, passion for performing, and lots of curious creativity.
Step into the Creative Team’s shoes.
Over the course of the week, you’ll work closely with a professional Director, Choreographer and Musical Director to discover how a musical is brought from page to stage.
You’ll begin by exploring how a director analyses and interprets a script, before stepping into workshops led by a Musical Director and Choreographer to see how those early ideas evolve in the rehearsal room.
The week culminates in presenting your ideas to your course leader and peers. Whether you’re a future director, choreographer, designer or dramaturg, this course is your opportunity to build creative confidence, develop practical skills, and see how new work comes to life.
A guided movement workshop incorporating ecstatic dance, yoga, meditation, theatre techniques, and dance.
Unleash your creativity, release through movement, express and be free through a foundation of techniques inspired by East and West practices. Open to all levels and experiences.
What you need - comfy clothes, bottle of water, pen, a journal if you have one, yoga mat if possible!
About Blan - Blan is a community of creatives, that meet and connect over shared experiences as an easy way to network. We aim to support and give opportunities to early-career artists to showcase their work and be seen.
Dive into a world of imagination and play in our SEN (Special Educational Needs) Creative Play Workshop
This workshop is specially designed to celebrate diversity and cater to varying abilities and needs. We will immerse ourselves in the magic of creative play with hands-on activities. You will discover the power of expressive arts in enhancing communication and self-expression taught by SEN-trained facilitators.
Wednesday 29 October
25-30 Company is your space to meet with other like-minded individuals and create theatre, guided by a professional theatre practitioner
Each term will be led by a practitioner with a focus on a specific area of theatre, such as text, verbatim theatre, movement, and many more.
We have a limited number of bursary grants that are available in cases of genuine hardship for anyone who will struggle to pay Young Company fees. Bursaries should be applied for when booking opens on Wednesday 28 May at 10am.
Applying for a bursary means we automatically reserve you a space for Young Company, so you do not need to make a paid booking in addition to your bursary application, and you will have the option to buy your reserved place if your bursary application is not successful.
Bursary applications for Autumn term will be accepted between Wednesday 28 May at 10am and Wednesday 27 August. When a Young Company session has reached capacity we will not accept bursary places for that session.
Please send the application form in as soon as possible, to avoid disappointment.
Inviting young black dancers aged 12 – 19 years, of African or Caribbean heritage, who have an interest in dance. All levels welcome.
Artistry Youth Dance are running an exclusive 5-day dance workshop and panel discussions with leading vocational schools, colleges, and conservatoires. Participants will engage in dance workshops and panel discussions with artists from stage and screen, gaining valuable insights into the dance industry, what to expect from full-time training and information on various training and career pathways.
Dates: Monday 27 to Friday 31 October 2025
Time: 9.30am - 5.00pm
Location: Trinity Laban, Creekside, London, SE8 3DS
Early Bird Price: £65* for all 5 days (£75* after 31 August 2025)
*plus £2.50 booking fee
The event will include:
Styles include:
The aim is for young black dancers to have a better knowledge of available training routes in dance and performing arts. We’re passionate about empowering young people through creative dance development. As a Company, we're leading the way in creating opportunities for young black dancers. We are committed to developing the next generation of black dance artists and nurturing a more culturally diverse dance community in the UK.
A limited number of bursary places are available! For details or to apply please email the address below.
The theme for our summer programme this year is Books and Story Telling!
We will take inspiration from Oscar Wilde’s sparkling comedy, The Importance of Being Earnest. Participants will be encouraged to explore the play’s themes of mistaken identity, love, and social conventions, and use these ideas to create their own performances.
Through lively workshops and creative exploration, they will devise unique theatre pieces that capture Wilde's wit and charm, bringing his timeless satire to life on stage.
Taught by a team of professional facilitators, this course is perfect for those studying Drama/Performing arts for GCSE and A level.
At the end of the week, family and friends will have the opportunity to join us for a sharing of their work, showcased in the Naughton Theatre.
Dates: Monday 18 – Saturday 23 August
A workshop for the politically engaged and perpetually exhausted. In the face of arts cuts, climate collapse, and rising authoritarianism, what does it mean to keep making political theatre?
Is it still a tool for change or just shouting into the void? This session creates space to reflect, rant, and reimagine: to swap strategies, share frustrations, and ask what resistance looks like onstage today.
All ticket sales will be donated to WarChild. The workshop will take place on June 22nd at Riverside Studios, 1:30pm - 3:30pm.
About Sam Rees:
Sam Rees is a critically acclaimed theatre-maker whose work has been staged at leading UK venues, including Summerhall, Oxford Playhouse, Soho, Norwich Theatre, and Jermyn Street. His recent projects include Edinburgh Fringe 2024 sell-out show Lessons On Revolution, praised as ‘compelling and galvanising’ (James Graham), ‘one of my favourites of this year’s fringe’ (Natasha Tripney),‘a heartfelt paean to the politics of hope ★★★★★’ (The Scotsman), ‘the best thing we’ve seen this year ★★★★★’ (The Morning Star), ‘intelligent, questioning documentary theatre ★★★★’ (The Stage), and ‘one of the most talked about shows from this year’s festival’ (The Conversation), and The Food Bank Show, called ‘utterly magnetic ★★★★’ by Broadway Baby, a show which ‘creates space for radical conversation to happen ★★★★’ by A Young(ish) Perspective), and ‘an exemplary production that defies the rules of the genre’ by Theatre Weekly.
Join WEST Youth Zone: Creative Collective
Aged 13-19? Are you interested in scriptwriting, spoken word poetry, performing and acting? Want to brush up on your acting technique, build your confidence and meet new people?
Every Friday from 5-10pm @ WEST Youth Zone White City we are offering dedicated workshops to our ‘Creative Collective’.
Become a member of WEST Youth Zone for just £5 annual membership and 50p per entry, you’ll unlock a place where you can make new friends, dive into 20+ fun activities a night, relax in a chilled space or try something new. You can also enjoy a tasty hot meal for just £1 in our BiteCity Café!
WEST is open to young people aged 8 – 19 (up to 25 with additional needs) from all backgrounds, for all abilities, and all across West London and beyond, so come and join WEST – Where Everyone Sticks Together!
We hope the Studio will be a home for playwrights of all levels of experience, helping us to connect and making a range of opportunities accessible in a joined-up, sustained writing package.
If you become a member of the Studio (it’s completely free!) you can access:
