Hull New Theatre – until Wednesday 5th April 2023
Reviewed by Dawn Bennett
5*****
Concrete Youth presented “an intergalactic theatre show at the Hull New Theare. It is for an audience with profound and multiple learning disabilities. The tour has engaged with over 4500 people since it launched in 2019. This tour is supported by Arts Council England, Hull City Council, Interplay Theatre, Back to Ours and Middle Child.
The story is of Alex (Amelia Gabriel) their Dad, Gareth, (Matt Heslop) and Lena (Laura Kaye Thomson) who is the babysitter for Alex. Alex’s Mum has died and they have thrown themselves into writing stories and the latest one is about space. Dad isn’t impressed with the stories as he thinks they are childish but with the help of Lena, Alex and the audience they go to the moon and back via Mars and a meteor shower.
Concrete Youth are a very talented company, from the acting, musical instrument playing to the fabulous singing.
It was audience participation at its best, the company signed, spoke to the audience, involved them by letting them handle the props. All our senses were involved from the smell of the cheese to the sound and the touch of the foil blanket.
It took place in an inflatable dome on the stage and it had a film projected onto it, we travelled to the Moon and Mars, we saw rockets and stars and we were very much part of the production.
I really loved how involved the cast made the audience in the production, Concrete Youth treated us to a masterclass in inclusive theatre. As someone sat next to me said that this was “one of the best we’ve been to a long time” and I absolutely agree!