A Youthful Look at the Theatre

Modern issues on the London stage reel in the young

Enticing youngsters into the audience has become something of an agonizing crusade for most London theatres. Let’s face it, competition is tough. Contending with 'Eastenders', Play Station and the intoxicating appeal of JD Weatherspoons is no mean feat.

A few years ago, theatres embarked on the home from home approach. The audience were given leeway to guzzle their favourite tipple from their seats. Cheesy pop songs we could all hum along to were woven into weak scripts and insipid storylines such as 'Mamma Mia' and 'We Will Rock You' hit the London stage. Finally, hoping viewers would dutifully tag along; a medley of c-list celebs left the Queen Vic behind and shuffled on to the London stage. Martine McCutcheon had a good ole’ warble as Eliza Doolittle, Tracy Shaw strolled across the London stage in the nod and Amanda Holden tapped her little feet off in the enormously unsuccessful ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie’.

Theatre producers had underestimated the youth of today. Thinking they could lure in a generation of Mike Teavees through alcohol, Abba and soap stars was a serious miscalculation. The young will chase the cheaper seats and follow subject matter which they find familiar or relevant. It’s as simple as that.

Time and time again it is the issues the productions raise that draw in the youngsters. Theatre isn’t as alien to young people as we are so frequently told. They are not isolated by the actual art-form of theatre so much as the adult, outmoded world so often played out on the stage. In the past few weeks, a small play called ‘My name is Rachel Corrie’ came to the Royal Court. Rachel Corrie was a subversive, young American who went to Israel acting as a human shield defending Palestinians. She was crushed to death by an Israeli bulldozer. Her diary, now a play, has captured the imagination of a young, fresh audience. The Royal Court Theatre announced that it had become one of the fastest sell-outs in its 50 year history and the majority of tickets were bought by one of the youngest audiences the theatre can recall.

Similarly Hampstead Theatre, reported an unusually young audience for ‘Little Sweet Thing’ by Roy Williams. This candid study of gang culture on a London estate is brutally true to life. Throughout its run the theatre was buzzing with the sweet hum of youth. Next month Hampstead welcomes two more plays, ‘Osama the hero’ and ‘Single Act’, both about living in today’s climate of terror. Again, the theatre expects the young to pile in.

Catherine Viner, editor of the Guardian Weekend, co-edited Corrie’s writings with Alan Rickman. She wrote in the Guardian, saying how in doing the project, they had hoped to "find out what made Rachel Corrie different from the stereotype of today’s consumerist, depoliticised youth". This is the same depoliticised youth who stood in their thousands at Nelson Mandela’s feet in Trafalgar Square back in February. The same youth that Mandela himself called upon "to be great". Mandela recognised the passion in our British youth that many of us overlook. They don’t need Shakespeare, Pinter or Wilde, as yet. They need modern theatre with plays about a modern world they can recognise. Of course, throw in a free iPod Shuffle with every seat sold and you really will be on to a winner.

Feast on Festivals

Music lovers fear not. Glastonbury may have sold out in minutes but there are 11 festivals in the south of England this summer, including Wireless in Hyde Park between June 24 and 30 with New Order, Basement Jaxx, Keane and Kasabian. In other news, Reading and Leeds festivals are both now named after a beer.

Mr Fury and Mr Jobsworth

A motorist who stopped his car to help a stricken girl has been issued a parking ticket. Jake Fury is a qualified first aider and pulled over to help a young girl who had been hit by a car. He has since been fined £100 for his selfless behaviour by Haringey Council. The aptly named Mr Fury commented ‘What kind of society are we living in?’

Scamburger

The Wagyu Burger went on sale at Zuma in Knightsbridge yesterday, priced at a whopping £55. The 9oz pattie costs so much because it is fashioned from Japanese Kobe Beef. The cattle receive daily massages, listen to new age music and drink premium lager. The Wagyu comes with fries.

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