Newbury’s young actors rise to National Theatre challenge with ambitious choice Normalised

Connections is the National Theatre's annual, nationwide youth theatre festival, championing the talent of young people from across the UK.

Each year the National Theatre commissions 10 new plays for young people to perform, bringing together some of the UK’s most exciting writers with the theatre-makers of tomorrow.

The Connections 2025 plays are:

Mia and the Fish by Satinder Chohan
The Company of Trees by Jane Bodie
Ravers by Rikki Beadle-Blair
YOU 2.0 by Alys Metcalf
Fresh Air by Vickie Donoghue
No Regrets by Gary McNair
Their Name is Joy by May Sumbwanyambe
Normalised by Amanda Verlaque
Saba’s Swim by Danusia Samal
Brain Play by Chloë Lawrence-Taylor and Paul Sirett

Normalised by Amanda Verlaque was performed this week by the Corn Exchange Intermediate Youth Theatre.

NT Connections: Corn Exchange Intermediate Youth Theatre: Normalised

at The Corn Exchange

Tuesday 25 March and Wednesday 26

Review by ROBIN STRAPP

Pictures: NICOLA YOUNG

Celebrating its 30th year the National Theatre’s Connections is a nationwide Youth Theatre Festival culminating in the selection of 10 groups being invited to perform their work on the National’s stage in London.

For the Corn Exchange’s Intermediate Youth Theatre this would be an amazing experience, but the competition is immense. There are over 250 youth theatres taking part performing one of 10 diverse new plays by leading playwrights and they have been partnered with the North Wall theatre in Oxford.

The Youth Theatre had chosen Amanda Verlaque’s Normalised. This challenging play is not afraid to tackle tough issues including homophobic bullying, the breakdown of family relationships, sexuality and the protection of the countryside.

When Jay (Elsa White) loses her gay sister, tenderly played by Sasha Pender-Thaw, costumed all in white, in a car accident she sets up a shrine in her memory in the nearby wood. This becomes her special place. But not everyone of her friends agree with this decision and she is confronted by Jamesy (Natasha Rowe) and bullied. Battle lines are drawn up as the group takes sides and confrontations develop.

When the wood and meadows are sold to a developer, they are prohibited access and decide to protest to be able to stop the building of the houses on the land. But will this be enough to unite them all again and will their special shrine be saved?

This is very much an ensemble piece, with powerful physical theatre from the large cast who all remain on stage throughout. They created striking still images and strong movement pieces much in the style of Frantic Assembly.

The simple staging of wooden blocks representing tree trunks is effective and the projections of statements and emotions on a large screen at the back helps to convey the major themes of the play. Music also plays a powerful part in the production in creating the dramatic mood and atmosphere.

Skilfully directed by Ali Watson this young company presented a thought provoking production and should be exceedingly proud of their achievement.

Well done!