Kernow Youth Theatre - Cornwall - About the Company

Kernow Youth Theatre is a new countywide Cornwall youth theatre company which aims to be a mainstay at the Edinburgh Festival and beyond within two years. The company is the brainchild of Falmouth's John Frankland, former head of drama at Fowey School.

The company, which already has support from the National Theatre in London, aims to bring together talented actors, aged 13 to 20, from Penzance to Liskeard under one umbrella organisation. The company will take part in the National Theatre's Connections project, which sees youth and school drama groups performing a new theatrical work.

We will perform a new play called A Vampire Story on a tour of Cornish supermarket car parks from March until July 2008 , before transferring to Plymouth's Drum Theatre.

John said:
"There is such a fine tradition of theatre in Cornwall - Miracle and Kneehigh are just two examples. I see Kernow Youth Theatre carrying on this grand tradition and my aim is to have the group at the Edinburgh Festival within two years and touring internationally within five years."

The company are running three days of workshops at Plymouth's TR2, the Theatre Royal's rehearsal and education centre space, from February 14 to 16 2008 , which will be attended by representatives from the National Theatre, London-based Black and White Rainbow Theatre and local theatre practitioners.

John believes that Kernow Youth Theatre will run harmoniously alongside existing young people's theatre groups, such as Cornwall Youth Theatre and the Hall for Cornwall's Upstage company.

"We will be very different - we won't meet weekly as that will be very difficult to organise for people dotted throughout the county.

"The hope is that people will join from other regional theatre groups. They will be able to attend our workshops and go back and use what they have learned in their other companies."

John would be pleased to hear from any businesses or individuals who would like to sponsor the youth theatre.