At Stagedoor we really value Youth Theatre of any kind and we are lucky in Gloucestershire to have such a thriving youth theatre scene. This weekend, I was lucky enough to be able to see Worlds Apart, an original play with music, performed by the Gloucestershire Youth Theatre Company. GYTC, which, like Stagedoor, works in partnership with the Everyman Theatre, is a huge youth theatre group, taking young performers from the age of 7 and meeting in both Cheltenham and Gloucester. Groups are split by age, with Pre-Juniors for school years 3 & 4, Juniors for years 5 & 6, Seniors for years 7-10 and Company for Year 11+. Worlds Apart was the second production that brought all the groups together – a massive undertaking for the talented and dedicated GYTC staff, all of whom are theatre professionals.

Worlds Apart told the story of Micha, a bored teenager reluctantly visiting her grandfather one sunny afternoon. When exploring the grounds of the retirement home, she came across a gateway which, unbeknownst to Micha, led her to other worlds, in which she learned valuable lessons about her perceptions of the world in which she belonged.

It was an ambitious project, but the commitment of the staff and the talent and commitment of the 120+ young performers ensured that it was a success. The show was funny and touching, with witty original scripts and high-energy routines from the performers – no matter what their age. High points included the beautiful performance of True Colours by the Pre-Junior and Junior groups, and the excellent Vampire scene from Thursday Senior and Company groups, written and directed by brilliant Gloucestershire performer and practitioner Elise Heaven.

Well done to all involved! Further information about Gloucestershire Youth Theatre Company can be found here.