The students took part under their theatre company name of ‘Black Box Theatre Coulsdon’ and performed the play Normalised at the Theatre Peckham as part of a double bill.
The play is a story about love, loss, and the battle to hold on to memories that matter. When a memorial LGBTQIA+ shrine is destroyed and a sacred place comes under threat, a group of teenagers must decide: stay silent or stand up? And as the stakes rise, the battle lines are drawn between being loyal, being an ally, and what does “normal” really mean anyway?
The students first performed the play at the theatre at Coulsdon three times with three different casts. These were watched by their mentor director from Theatre Peckham who then selected the 'super cast' to take to main performance.
Rebecca Cristaldi, Deputy Head of Creative and Digital at Coulsdon Sixth Form College said: “Our students performed exceptionally well and received some outstanding feedback from the National Theatre directors who were there to watch them. They commenting on their professionalism and incredible talent. We are very proud of what they have achieved!”
This National Theatre Connections Festival is a national festival where more than 250 other theatre companies across the UK perform the same 10 plays. 10 companies from across the UK will then be chosen to perform at the National Theatre in London later in the summer.