As part of the National Theatre Connections Festival of plays for youth theatres and schools, The Green School presents, Same by Deborah Bruce, a play about intergenerational relationships. This is a new play that will have a public performance at Watermans on Friday 14 March at 7pm.
National Theatre Connections gives young people experience of professional theatre-making. The play will be performed by an all-female cast of students from Year 10. This project is a collaboration between National Theatre Connections, Watermans, The Green School and The Bush Theatre. This is the first time that The Green School and Watermans have participated in the National Theatre Connections Festival.
Same is set in an old people's residential home, the week that Josie dies. As her teenage grand-children gather round to share memories of their grandmother and grieve, the older residents feel the effects of Josie’s death on their lives too, as the funeral takes place.
Same explores the feelings of both generations in order to enquire whether the gulf between young and old is as wide as it superficially appears or are we really the same whatever our age?
‘I still feel the same,’ says one resident to another as they recall their experiences and youth while trying to make sense of getting older and impending mortality. As the teenagers struggle to understand why their ‘Nana’ has gone and post messages on Facebook, the older residents feel apprehensive about their ‘home’ being invaded by young people.
Featuring gentle humour, Same seeks to explore issues of communication, relationships and bereavement in a poignant and sensitive manner.
Same was written by Deborah Bruce, a theatre director turned writer from London.
Her first play, Godchild was performed at Hampstead Theatre in October 2013, and The Distance was shortlisted for the Susan Smith Blackburn Award 2013. She is under commission from the National Theatre and The Royal Court.
SAME
By Deborah Bruce
Performed by The Green School
National Theatre Connections Festival
Performances Thursday 13 March (for schools only) 4pm – 6.30 pm
Friday 14 March 2014 7pm – 9.30 pm
Tickets: Adults £5, Children /Students £2.50
Age Suitability 13+
Alongside the production of Same , young women from Year 10 at The Green School will present three 20 minutes devised performances exploring themes from the play. These are:
Sliding Doors: An exploration about missed opportunities
Tell me how you feel? Communicating and evoking emotion
A Day In the Life : How communication impacts on our lives