LATEST NEWS
Raise money for Theatre Ark when you shop online!
Theatre Ark have signed up to EasyFundraising, meaning it's quick and easy to raise money for Theatre Ark! If you register as a supporter, EasyFundraising provides a directory of popular online retailers including Amazon, play.com and ebay. For every supporter who shops using these links, Theatre Ark will receive up to 15% of your purchase as a donation from the retailer! It's completely free and can even save you money, as many retailers offer discounts to those using EasyFundraising. Just go to www.easyfundraising.org.uk and register as a supporter of Theatre Ark!
In addition to this, you can also use www.theatreark.easysearch.org.uk as your search engine, and every search you make will raise money for Theatre Ark, so make sure you set it as your homepage!
Theatre Ark's January newsletter!
You can now catch all the latest news including Arts Award success, new young employees and the success of The Name of Action in the Theatre Ark Newsletter! If you aren't already signed up to the mailing list, you can recieve the newsletter when it comes out by sending your name and email address with the subject "Mailing List" to theatreark@hotmail.co.uk.
27/11/11- Review - Frankenstein
I went to watch Big Brum's Theatre In Education performance of Frankenstein on Wednesday 2nd November at St Pauls School for Girls. It consisted of theatre performance and workshop elements and was put into three categories where the actors would freeze the performance and talk to the students about their thoughts on the concepts of the play. I was overwhelmed by the performance with both the high quality of acting but also how it allows the students to input their ideas and thoughts. Frankenstein is about a young Swiss student who discovers the secret of animating lifeless matter and, by assembling body parts, creates a monster who vows revenge on his creator after being rejected from society. I was amazed to see how this monster was portrayed because it allowed the audience to imagine how they saw this monster without giving a fixed description because the monster was just a man with the mind of a baby.
The performance opens up the question of what makes us human. It allows the audience to ask questions about themselves that they would never have done before and gives a dynamic approach to the study of identity. It opens up the concepts of prejudice, good and evil and lets the audience reflect and relate themselves to these characters.
I liked how the actors used the space to show the different scenes and places. It made the audience fill in the gaps with their imagination because the set is unusually abstract and the actors showed the change of scene through their actions and physicality. The cast was made up of three brilliant actors who divided up the characters between them and showed this change through the change of their costumes. The actors portrayed each character very well and put forward a powerful performance, but the most engaging part for me was the relationship shown between Frankenstein and the monster because the audience, on some level, are manipulated into sympathising with the monster and see how society can change and affect a person.
The use of the sound effects brought a sense of realism into the play which also allowed the audience to use their imagination rather than everything being obvious to them. At the end of the play the audience are left with unanswered questions such as why Frankenstein didn't create the female for the monster, which allows the audience to fill in these unanswered questions.
Overall I think the performance was brilliant and was cleverly crafted by the director because it engaged the audience but also opened up the concepts of humanity allowing them to ask questions and use their imagination. I would recommend it to everybody of all ages and ensure that they will be moved by the performance. Frankenstein is a very powerful performance and will have a dramatic impact on people, especially young people, understanding the world around them and the different aspects of society.
Review by Leah Child
21/10/11 - Call for New Members
Young Birmingham theatre company "Theatre Ark" is seeking new members for their April production of "The Tempest", directed by the experienced professional director Ian Yeoman. Their version of Shakespeare's tale of shipwreck and fantasy will be staged in the A E Harris Factory, an atmospheric new venue in the Jewellery Quarter.
Theatre Ark produces live theatre performances of an excellent standard, and meets at fortnightly sessions in the city centre. They are led and mentored by theatre professionals and are an offshoot company of Big Brum Theatre Company. Their last project was a site-specific video installation at A E Harris, "The Name of Action", which explored the lives of young people in Birmingham using Shakespeare text.
The members, all aged 14-20 years, are responsible for the productions and they are also training to take on full responsibility for the running of the whole organisation - the finance, planning, policy-making, fund-raising, programming, marketing - everything! Each member is fiercely committed to making this a professional theatre company of the future.
"Watch out for Theatre Ark because this is an example of Birmingham's future which we should all try to support. If ever there's a group to watch it's these youngsters. "
Steve McCabe, MP
"The Tempest" will be an immersive and exciting piece of theatre and the company is just beginning rehearsals with Ian Yeoman. They are seeking new members, in particular boys, to join the cast. With no audition necessary, this is an incredible opportunity for young people in Birmingham to have fun, meet new people and be involved in an innovative and high-quality production of one of Shakespeare's best known works.
To enquire, contact Ceri Townsend, theatreark@hotmail.co.uk, 07533 456 387
The Name of Action is a filmic exploration of the experience of being young in Birmingham. A site-specific installation at the A.E. Harris Warehouse, films are being screened simultaneously on the different surfaces around the empty factory, so the audience has to make its own way through the spaces, viewing and re-viewing in sequences of their own choosing.
The Name of Action opens on Friday 9 September 2011, introduced by our guest speaker The Rt Hon Chris Williamson MP, Shadow Cabinet Minister for Communities.
25/05/10 - Casting Opportunity
The National Theatre is bringing its production of 'The Habit of Art' by Alan Bennett to the Birmingham Rep Theatre from 28th September - 2nd October 2010. The play features a young boy, aged 11-13, and we will be looking for two local boys to play the part in each venue.
The role requires solo choral singing, with the highest note being a G Flat. Pure, boyish voices are therefore essential. There are also a few lines of dialogue.
The job will entail one day of rehearsal in London for learning, plus an afternoon of rehearsal in the venue on the first day of performances, and then half of the week's shows (the role will be shared between two boys in each city). There is also some potential for the boys performing in Birmingham to do the show when the tour goes to Nottingham, in the week commencing 2nd November, although this is not confirmed.
Auditions will be held in Birmingham on Thursday 10th June. If you are interested, please contact Charlotte Sutton (Casting Assistant at the National Theatre) via email on csutton@nationaltheatre.org.uk for further information, a copy of the script and audition times and location.
Note for Parents: 'The Habit of Art' is about an imagined meeting between W.H Auden and Benjamin Britten, and in the child's scene he is auditioning for Britten. After this there is some discussion between the adults in the play about whether or not Britten had inappropriate relations with young boys - this has been a problem for some parents and schools we approached for the original London run, so we are bringing this to your attention now. Scripts are available for you to look at and use your discretion as to whether the content is appropriate for your child.
25/05/10 - Urgent audition 28th May, female actor aged 14-19
Theatre Ark unexpectedly needs to recruit an extra member to step in to complete the cast of its innovative, forthcoming production of The Crucible on 19-21 July.
The audition is on Friday 28 May 2010 at 5pm.
You need to be available to rehearse on Saturday mornings 10am - 1pm in the city centre from 29 May - 17 July, plus some weekends and various additional dates.
The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, is a classic of modern theatre and an extremely powerful play about the dangers of social paranoia and private vengeance, based on real historical events but of great significance in our own times. We are looking for a bright and committed young person to join this established company and cast in their own telling of this cautionary tale, someone who is genuinely interested in working as part of a dedicated team towards a high quality performance under the direction of professional theatre workers.
If you are interested in this opportunity, please email for further details and dates to ceri@bigbrum.plus.com as soon as possible.
24/03/10 - Theatre Ark charity paintball offer
Theatre Ark have been given a number of Charity Paintball Passes to sell or raffle to raise funds for the company, which means you can take 8 people paintballing to any local or National Paintball Centre when you donate just £49.99 to Theatre Ark.
What you get:
- A full day of paintball action;
- Free equipment hire*;
- Free use of the latest semi-automatic paintballgun;
- Access to the best paintball centres in the UK;
- and full liability insurance.
*Please note paintballs are not included
Once you've purchased your pass you simply call the number to book your session. So if you're planning a paintballing session with your mates, why not save yourselves a whole wodge of cash whilst contributing to a worthwhile young people's project.
Email theatreark@hotmail.co.uk to reserve your Paintballing Pass!
For further info on Charity Paintball see www.charitypaintball.org.uk
23/03/10 - Theatre Ark Newsletter - First Edition
In what will be a new, ongoing feature, Theatre Ark is proud to present the first edition of its new, bi-monthly newsletter. Edited by Theatre Ark member Joss Marshall, the Newsletter keeps you up to date with our latest news.
Click here to read our March 2010 Newsletter (Adobe PDF document 
, 662k, opens in a new window)
13/03/10 - Theatre Ark publishes its first Annual Review, for 2009
Theatre Ark has prodcued its first annual review, setting out in some detail its journey so far, and its plan for the future. The review covers the year 2009, the first of Theatre Ark's existence.
Click here to read our Annual Review 2009 (Adobe PDF document , 43k, opens in a new window)
31/01/10 - Theatre Ark suceeds in a Youth Capital fund bid
This January, Theatre Ark applied for £17,616 from the Youth Capital Fund to spend on a selection of specialist equipment. A small group of members - our new Finance Committee - drew up an application just before Christmas 2009, containing what we were asking for and how it would benefit the group.
Theatre Ark were overjoyed to discover that the bid was successful. Amongst the items we have been funded to buy are a high quality video camera, an Apple Mac laptop, lighting equipment and some portable staging. With the new equipment a whole range of new skills will be within our reach and a whole new world of creative arts will be at our fingertips.
21/09/09 - Praise for Theatre Ark from Steve McCabe, MP
Birmingham MP Steve McCabe, who attended Theatre Ark's launch, was very impressed by what he saw! His thoughts below, from his website www.stevemccabe-mp.org.uk:
"I get lots of invites to attend launches and not surprisingly I find it's a bit difficult to fit them all in but every now and then, there's a chance to go to something really worthwhile. Tonight I went to the launch of Theatre Ark, a Birmingham based drama group for young people and run by young people. They are supported by the council's Creative Futures Programme and the Big Brum Theatre in Education. The idea is to take a group of young people who will develop their own theatre company and learn the range of skills required to run it as a business. I can't claim any particular expertise in this field but I've been to lots of presentations and I've rarely been to such an original event. If ever there's a group to watch it's these youngsters.
They are drawn from all parts of the city; they've started from first principles and devised their own constitution for how the group will be run. They're already working hard on their first production, Arthur Miller's The Crucible, which they hope to perform by candlelight at a former warehouse. From the moment I walked into the room I could feel the energy and freshness of these youngsters. They each had a story to tell and a fascinating account of how the company has come together. They told us how they were able to draw on the inspiration of their grandparents, who come from all parts of the globe, as a basis for their initial thinking and how an overnight camp and a walk of some 12 miles back into Birmingham helped them develop a perspective on the city and the kind of company they hope to build. To add to their freshness they've persuaded Iqbal Mohammed, the young trainee who featured on the BBC programme The Barristers, to serve as their chairman. He was a member of Big Brum theatre in his own youth and is a classis example of a young successful Brummie who wants to give something back. His eloquent and thoughtful speech was a joy to hear. These are young people who really have a future.
I've spent a lot of time thinking about youth employment over the summer and it's really encouraging to know that here in Birmingham there are real initiatives, led by young people themselves, which can really make a difference.
Watch out for Theatre Ark because this is an example of Birmingham's future which we should all try to support. I'm convinced we will end up being really proud of them."
03/09/09 - Theatre Ark launches in Brindley Place, waved off by a prestigious line-up of well-wishers!
Today sees the celebratory launch of Theatre Ark, a new creative enterprise run by young people. A group of sixteen young people from every corner of the city is developing a whole new range of skills associated with running a small-scale arts organisation. They are applying their talent and creativity to questions of management and organisation, planning and policy, with the view to eventually establishing themselves as an independent theatre company in the city.
Today, on the eve of their first public outing at Arts Fest, they are being joined by a wide and impressive range of supporters and well-wishers from both Birmingham's private and its public sector. At a special reception at 3 Brindley Place, they will be for the first time making their young, collective artistic presence felt in the heart of the city. They have been furiously practising the critical new skill of networking specially for the event! These are young people with growing vision, determination and arts scene savvy - huge potential for influencing the future of the arts in Birmingham!
Thank you for coming today, everybody.
01/09/09 - City council secures a creative future for Theatre Ark
Birmingham City Council has awarded Big Brum TIE a Creative Futures Award to incubate the fledging company, Theatre Ark. The top theatre-in-education company, with a reputation for its outstanding work with young people throughout the city and beyond, is nurturing the young group and supporting it in its ambition to become an independent theatre company in its own right. Ceri Townsend and Rich Holmes, Big Brum's designer and longest-serving Actor-Teacher, founded the group and have been mentoring the young members in all matters related to running a small scale arts organisation. The Creative Futures Award will enable the company to put on its first theatre in January 2010: a candlelit production of The Crucible, by Arthur Miller.
01/09/09 - Ambitious arts network for Birmingham's young people about to go on-line
The Creative Futures Award is also assisting in the establishment of our Theatre Ark Network, a city-wide network of 14-19 year olds who have a passion for drama and theatre. The network will be operated largely from this website and will provide interested young people with access to a range of activities, workshops, news, performances and theatre events aimed specifically at their age group. The website is currently under construction, but we're hoping it will be fully operational very soon, so watch this space!