Flashes, young vic theatre, 2013

Flashes represented a permanent shift in the work Taking Part at the Young Vic was making. Adult community members had not previously made up the cast of a show without being a chorus or acting alongside professionals. Wanting to create a show just with and for them I teamed up with my colleague Sharon Kanolik who managed work with young people and we created this inter-generational multi-lingual show in response to Feast, playing in the main house at the time. We also engaged a writer to work with the cast and create the text, which became a blueprint for future TP work. The cast ranged in age from 13 to 79. I was pregnant with my first child at the time and one of the 15 year old boys would start each rehearsal by politely enquiring about my blood pressure that day. Good times.

Participant Feedback:

‘I never thought of myself as creative. You showed me how wrong I was. This will be a memory I treasure forever.’

Audience feedback:

I can’t believe these people are not trained actors! It was like seeing our community on stage.’

Conceived and Commissioned by: Lily Einhorn & Sharon Kanolik

Creative Producers and Dramaturgs: Lily Einhorn & Sharon Kanolik

Director: Amelia Sears

Writer: Silva Sermicyan

Designer: Alex Eales