UCC Youth Theatre host Cork YT Midsummer Meet UP!

18 Jun 2024

On Sun 16th June 2024 members of CastletownBere Youth Theatre, Glengarriff Youth Theatre, Rusty Forg Youth Theatre (Skibbereen), Lightbulb Youth Theatre (Mallow), Activate Youth Theatre (Cork City), and UCC YT (Cork City) met in the Theatre Lab (University College Cork) for workshops, theatre and fun. In total forty three young people and seven leaders attended over the course of the day. 

The structure of the day was as follows:

 Sun 16th June 

12:00 - Workshops in UCC (Location Theatre Lab - enter via Granary Theatre. ) 

14:00 - Walking lunch while trying to find Kamchatka (free street theatre on Patricks st) 

16:00 - The Sun and Only in Testsite (show runs circa 40min in small groups) 

17:00 - Pizza dinner in Testsite/Coal Quay

19:00 - Tempesta in the Pav (show runs for 75min and is upstairs) 

The 'Get To Know You' workshop led by Fionn Woodhouse allowed the groups to mingle, mix and get to know people from other YTS for the sessions ahead through a series of dynamic warm ups, ice breakers and improvisation based games and exercises. Games were particularly angled towards bringing out observation, listening and teamwork skills in preparation for the following session. The workshop offered YT members an accessible and fun way to get to know each other in low focus activities and also the chance to share their creativity through quick fun filled improvisations to the group in passing high focus moments.

Participant Feedback - Did you learn something new or gain new experiences during the day?

I enjoyed the different types of shows that we saw. The street theatre was my favourite

Yes it shows us street performance. Theatre without an stage with the last one

That performance is one of my favourite things to do.

About the Shows…..

The group went to see Kamchàtka - a street theatre performance troupe who we had to chase down the Grand Parade. Two members of UCC and Activate youth theatres got involve in the performance, splashing other audience members from the Bewick Fountain! 

We attended ‘The Sun and Only by Isadora Epstein in Testsite - this sing along song based exploration of the god of weather (featuring the gods of weather….) was different, humorous and odd in equal measure - that it was outside and artists weaved the sound of passing ambulances into the ambience of the show was interesting. 

Finally we went to ‘Tempesta’ by Deirdre Kinahan in the Pavillion. This site specific theatre in the round performance explored life, love, lust and loss in Dublin and Spain during the early 19th century with intensity and a live musical accompaniment.  

Participant Feedback - What did you like best about the day?

Meeting /workshop with other Youth Theatres. Attendance at a variety of performances at a variety of venues.

I loved having the time to interact with and make friends with people from other youth theatre groups.

The workshop overall was a great success, but many participants wanted a longer workshop and/or more opportunities for interaction across the groups. There is definitely an appetite for more/similar programmes or a longer programme. 

Youth Theatre participants and leaders all shared a really positive experience from our Midsummer Meet Up and all agreed that we'd like to do it again. It was good to hear and learn from youth theatre members and leaders.