New direction for young company

The Watermill Young Company bring their energy and enthusiasm to Gogol’s The Government Inspector, at The Watermill from Wednesday to Saturday next week.
This classic satire on Russian corruption and mistaken identity showcases the talents of the company under the direction of Watermill newcomer Seamus Allen.
A stranger arrives in town and no-one quite knows who he is. He could be a Government Inspector... Then again...
The town’s unscrupulous councillors, fearing an inspection and the discovery of their corrupt goings-on, do all they can to ingratiate themselves to him. Bribes, backhanders and brown envelopes abound and the stranger, who has an eye for a quick buck, takes full advantage, with hilarious results.
The show is directed by Seamus Allen, a skilled improviser, working with Ken Campbell’s School of Night and appearing in the annual London 50 hour Improvathons. He is currently the head of drama at Read College, Reading.
Each year, the Young Company produce a full-scale production on the stage at The Watermill. This year, the company of 16, aged between 17 and 25 years old, are performers and technicians with an interest in pursuing a future in the performing arts. Several former members have already begun careers in professional theatre.
Beth Flintoff, the Watermill’s outreach director said: “This is the first young company production since the wonderful Ade Morris handed over the reins to our brilliant new Young Company director, Seamus Allen.
“Audiences familiar with our youth theatre productions will find that its trademark sense of humour and style has very much remained! It’s always wonderful to see such a bright bunch of young people so dedicated to theatre that they will give up hours and hours of their spare time to make it work.
“We are very proud of them.”