Six actors from a local youth theatre group are heading to one of the largest arts and theatre festivals in the world.

The group from the Parker and Snell theatre company are taking their version of the play ’Chat Room’ to the Edinburgh Fringe festival next week.

The group, featuring Josh Moore, Roman Trimble, Laura Nicholson, Leonie Crowther, Dandi Dancox and Samuel Turk, will perform their play, at the Space at Niddry Street theatre between Monday, August 12 and Saturday, August 17, with a preview for Manx audiences at the Ballakermeen Studio theatre on Saturday, August 10.

The play, written by the celebrated playwright Enda Walsh, is a tense drama about six teenagers who solely communicate with each other across and internet chat room.

When one of the members confesses to having suicidal thoughts, some of the others take it on themselves to encourage him to go through with it.

It deals with such issues as cyberbullying on social media platforms and explores depression and anxiety among teenagers.

’It begins quite nicely but the tale turns quite quickly into a bit of a thriller,’ said Josh, who plays the character William.

’An important aspect is that you get to know each of the characters very well.

’But because it is all conducted in a chat room, across social media, the anonymity of it is very important, as you are never quite sure of who is telling the truth or if the people are actually who they make themselves out to be.

’Through these characters, every time someone speaks, they are hiding behind a character or personality.

’I think it is an interesting piece, as social media is such a prominent thing for all of us now, whether you are young or old.’

The play is being performed ’in-the-round’, with the actors in the centre of the theatre, surrounded by the audience.

’We think that it helps to recreate that idea of talking to people remotely,’ said Roman, who plays Jim.

’When we are talking to each other on stage, we won’t be physically talking to each other. The way we interact will represent the virtual chat that we have with each other.’

Laura, playing the character Emily added: ’It will represent the disjointedness of the relationships, and reflect the risks you take having anonymous conversations on stage.’

Josh said: ’It is quite good to do it that way too. We have been going, as a youth group, to the Fringe since 2017, and each year we have been getting bigger and better.

’I think that the "in-the-round" format gives us a good challenge that we can all rise to, and make it better than in previous years.’

This will be the third visit to Edinburgh for the youth drama group, and each of the actors are excited about returning and taking part in the famous Fringe festival.

Last year, they took two short plays, ’Eight’ and ’Manx Tales’, both of which received glowing reviews.

’The Edinburgh festival is so lively,’ said Laura.

’You can’t not like it, as there is something for everyone. There is an incredible atmosphere, especially walking down the Royal Mile. There is absolutely nothing like it.’

Josh added: ’Every year we go up there you meet people from all over the world, whether they are actors, performers or whoever.

’You make contacts and become quite close to people over time, and we talk to people all the time, through social media, obviously.

’You met them because they are there for the same reason you are there, for the love of theatre, music, dance or whatever it is they do.

’You also meet famous people there, as they could be doing something in the theatre next door to you.

’I am a big Dr Who fan, and I met Sylvester McCoy there. It was crazy!

’Also, you can see the weirdest, strangest things. You can see someone performing something you’ve never seen before in a pub at three in the morning.

’We have a great time when we go up there, and we just go and show people who we are and where we come from.

’It is a big thing to say, but the past two years I have been there have been the best times of my life.’

Tickets for the island performance of ’Chat Room’, which begins at 7.30pm, are £10 for adults and £8 for all concessions, available from studiotheatre.ticketsolve.com

by Mike Wade

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