THE YOUTH theatre at Richmond’s Georgian Theatre Royal has picked up a prestigious award after taking part in a national one-act play festival.

The heat of the All-England Theatre Festival took place at the Georgian Theatre Royal from Thursday, February 2 to Saturday, February 4, and saw the youth company take on other youth and adult groups from Leyburn, Sedgefield and Richmond.

Despite not making it through to the next round of the competition, the youth theatre picked up the People’s Award, voted for by the audience, for their entry Sparkle Shark – a contemporary play by Philip Ridley.

The play is roughly based on a collection of Middle Eastern and South Asian stories, and tackles issues such as bullying, social pressure, conflict and power.

Director of the Georgian Youth Theatre Aimee Shields said she was proud of the group and what they achieved at the festival.

“The play went as well as it has ever done and they were all thrilled to pick up the audience award," she said.

“Daisy Chadwick and Will Newson were also nominated for the best actress and best actor awards and there were superb performances from the nine-strong cast.

“The youth theatre has been involved in the festival before but this is my first time as director.

“The group was really keen to take part in the festival and loved the play I chose for them – it was the story of a boy who was avoiding his bullies by distracting them through storytelling.

“We will definitely go into the festival next year and all the age groups will be performing in the Georgian Theatre Royal this summer which is brilliant experience for them.”

The youth theatre introduces young people from six to 18 years old to all aspects of theatre and stagecraft.