Oxford International Youth Arts Festival 20 - 30 July 2011
at Pegasus and North Wall Arts Centre produced by Pegasus
Welcome to Mesh – Oxford International Youth Arts Festival 2011 Pegasus is proud to launch Oxford’s newest arts festival and one of the first to be co-planned, run and hosted with, by and for young people!
Mesh combines the unique and fresh flavour of young people’s energy and ideas alongside the professional expertise of the staff and artists
What’s on Thursday 21 July 4.30pm & 8.30pm
Tuesday 26 July 4.30pm & 8.30pm
After Gilgamesh (Oxford, UK)
And You? How Are You? (Sisak,
Come and see international shows from a new generation of
Croatia)
performers, each with their own individual interpretation and voice.
Friday 22 July 4.30pm & 8.30pm
From the words of young people from Gaza, to reinventions of classic
Gaza Mono-Logues (Gaza, Palestine)
who have worked together to present it.
Spaces Outside and Inside of Me
works by Molière and Ionesco, to an epic adaptation of the oldest
(Bonn, Germany)
written story ever discovered there is something for everyone. We
Saturday 23 July 1.30pm – 3.30pm
would love to see you at Pegasus Theatre or the North Wall Arts Centre,
The Grand Debate – Human Rights and
in the city centre or the Oxford Town Hall celebrating the immense
Young People
Thursday 28 July 4-6pm
Saturday 23 July 4.30pm & 8.30pm
We look forward to your support in making this a landmark event in the
One more time about... love (Perm,
Friday 29 July 4.30-6pm
Oxford calendar!
Russia) PLUS Dutch Moods (Leiden,
Free Street Theatre & Costume Parade
Holland)
(all performers)
Free Street Theatre (all performers)
talent of around 120 young people from across Europe and beyond.
Thanks to our partners The North Wall Arts Centre and the supporters of Mesh, especially Oxford City Council, Oxfordshire County Council, Oxford Inspires and MINI Plant Oxford who have made this 10 day festival possible.
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Wednesday 27 July 4.30pm & 8.30pm
Yasmin Sidhwa
Jamie Halliday
Festival Director
Mesh Planning Committee
Monday 25 July 4.30pm & 8.30pm
Friday 29 July 7-9pm
The Doctor Despite Himself (Grenoble,
The Visit by Friedrich Dürrenmatt (all
France)
performers)
United Kingdom
Pegasus Theatre can transform lives. Pegasus wholeheartedly believes this. Pegasus is a place where children, young people, professional artists and local people meet, share stories and make theatre.
After Gilgamesh DATE: Thursday 21 July TIME: 4.30pm & 8.30pm VENUE: Pegasus, Magdalen Road, Oxford OX4 1RE COST: £7 full price, £5 concessions
We have the responsibility to give young people the tools to explore who they are, what power they have and what their responsibilities are in a rapidly
The tale of Gilgamesh, demi-god and king of Uruk,
changing global world. Our aim is to encourage young people to be confident
is filled with fantastic characters. This new verse
creative risk-takers who will be more likely to come up with new ideas, lead
drama with dance and song features ancient gods,
business or drive social change. Pegasus sees its role to prepare young people
barbers and weavers alongside soldiers, citizens
for the challenges of citizenship.
and generals in the last Iraq war.
Alongside our Pegasus Youth Theatre Courses there are also three Pegasus Youth
War, leaders, life and death. What has changed in
Companies, one specialising in Theatre, one in Dance and one in Production –
4,000 years?
Design/Technical Theatre. The Companies are open to 14-19 year olds and each company looks to develop young cultural leadership qualities in its members. This is the ability to shape art practices for young people in the future, in
Performed, designed and crewed by Pegasus Youth Theatre Companies.
terms of leading their own creative projects, mentoring younger groups and developing tutoring skills.
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Palestine
ASHTAR Theatre
The Gaza Mono-Logues
ASHTAR is a dynamic Palestinian theatre with a
DATE: Friday 22 July TIME: 4.30pm & 8.30pm VENUE: The North Wall Arts Centre, South Parade, Oxford OX2 7NN COST: ÂŁ7 full price, ÂŁ5 concessions
progressive global perspective. It aims to promote creativity and commitment for change through a novel combination of specific training, acting programmes and services with professional theatre performances. At ASHTAR we offer intensive theatre training
These are the personal stories of 33 young people from Gaza who witnessed the war on Gaza in 2008/2009. They have written about their fears, dreams, aspirations and frustrations before, during and after the
courses for local students throughout the year,
war.
often resulting in performances on stage but
The Gaza Mono-Logues was a global project when it was performed in
also equipping young Palestinians with essential skills that go beyond acting. Apart from an increased
more than 60 cities in 33 countries at 7pm on 17th October 2010.
level of self-awareness and confidence, leadership,
The performances involved more than 1,500 young people around the
communication and teamwork skills can be
world (including the Pegasus Youth Theatre Companies in Oxford).
achieved through our training.
They all came together to raise the voice of the voiceless youth in Gaza to join their demand for freedom and a just peace. Now they speak their own words.
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The Grand Debate ‘Human Rights and Young People’ DATE: Saturday 23 July TIME: 1.30pm - 3.30pm VENUE: T-Building, MINI Plant Oxford COST: Free (bookable in advance)
MINI Plant Oxford, the main sponsor for Mesh will be hosting the festival’s Grand Debate in the T Building. A panel of invited guests, including stand-up comic and performer Mark Thomas, Iman Aoun (Artistic Director of ASHTAR Theatre, Ramallah), Fernand Garnier (Artistic Director of the Rencontre International Youth Theatre Festival) plus young speakers, will discuss Human Rights and Young People with the international delegates and members of the public.
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Russia
Perm Contemporary Dance Company Drive Dance Company Perm Contemporary Dance Company were established in 2006 and its members are students from Perm Universities. They perform mostly at Higher educational institutions in Perm and the surrounding region often working with Drive Dance Company.
“One more time about... love” Part of double bill with The Netherlands DATE: Saturday 23 July TIME: 4.30pm & 8.30pm VENUE: Pegasus, Magdalen Road, Oxford OX4 1RE COST: £7 full price, £5 concessions We are all different, all of us have our own dreams and wishes, our own personalities... but we have
Drive Dance Company was founded in 2002. It has
one common idea: only LOVE (love of life, of each
about 25 participants, aged 16-25. Young people
other, of our country) can save and sustain the
learn different styles of modern dance and stage
world. We express this in the language of dance.
their own performances. The group takes part in different city events and concerts as well as touring to other countries. The group has previously
Performed by Perm Contemporary Dance and Drive Dance Company.
performed in Oxford in 2005, 2007 and 2009.
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The Netherlands
BplusC
Dutch Moods
This group of dance students come
Part of double bill with Russia
from the BplusC centre for arts and culture in Leiden. Some of the students aspire to a (semi) professional dance career but most dance for fun. The group contains mostly students of ‘Talentclass’ but for the festival they are joined by other students aged 13-18 from other dance classes.
DATE: Saturday 23 July TIME: 4.30pm & 8.30pm VENUE: Pegasus COST: £7 full price, £5 concessions Created especially for this festival, Dutch Moods incorporates material created by the dancers. Its theme refers to the nature of Dutch people who are full of contradictions. They are individualistic but also love
The aim of dance education from BplusC
mass celebrations. They are cranky and short tempered
is to pass on the love of dance and theatre
but also warm and spontaneous. They are focused on
to young students.
the international world yet concerned about foreign influences on Dutch society. In short, the Dutch are complicated!
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France
Créarc
Le médecin malgré lui
Créarc runs its activities locally (Grenoble) and
The Doctor Despite Himself
internationally in four areas: The Rencontres du Jeune Théâtre Européen (an annual international youth arts festival) and running the Jeune Théâtre Européen network of organisations; producing theatrical shows; presenting theatre companies, residencies and performances at our venue the Petit
This classic Molière play sees a downtrodden wife trick her
Théâtre and creating cultural development projects.
wicked and lazy woodcutter husband into becoming a doctor
The performing group has a range of experience: some of them are novices while others have basic theatre skills. All of them use this opportunity to make the most of themselves through theatre.
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DATE: Monday 25 July TIME: 4.30pm & 8.30pm VENUE: The North Wall Arts Centre, South Parade, Oxford OX2 7NN COST: £7 full price, £5 concessions
to avoid being beaten. In his new guise he is asked to cure a neighbour’s daughter who has a rare condition and can no longer speak. On examining her he quickly diagnoses the condition – she is in love!
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Croatia
Dramski studio mladih Gradskog kazališta Sisak Drama Youth Studio - Sisak’s Theatre Sisak has a rich history dating from the days of the Roman Empire when it
A vi? Kako ste vi? And you? How are you?/Et vous? Comment allez-vous? DATE: Tuesday 26 July TIME: 4.30pm & 8.30pm VENUE: Pegasus, Magdalen Road, Oxford OX4 1RE COST: £7 full price, £5 concessions
was known as Siscia. The modern town is built on its foundations and the Drama Youth Studio was established as part of Sisak’s theatre and cultural
The play highlights the response and attitude of
centre in the 1950s.
Sisak’s youth towards life in their town. Based on
The Drama Youth Studio members (now numbering 60) were introduced to the Theatre of the Absurd by their directors while working on ‘The Bald Prima Donna by Ionesco. What seemed absurd to them in the beginning, has now become entirely normal after the number of rehearsals and performances they have had.
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Ionesco’s “Greetings”, the actors extend the story to all of us. With different languages, including Croatian, using masks and movement, the performance is universal and especially aimed at the young people. Ionesco´s words reflect the present day. The absurdities of life, as never before, affect us all.
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Germany
Bertolt-Brecht Gesamtschule The Bertolt Brecht Comprehensive School Dance Group involves young people between the ages of fourteen and seventeen years who have had previous dance and theatre experience. All of them have strong personalities and enjoy moving and developing ideas together with their choreographer. They principally work by improvising from initial ideas then put scenes together in an order to create the performance piece.
Spaces outside and inside of me DATE: Wednesday 27 July TIME: 4.30pm & 8.30pm VENUE: The North Wall Arts Centre, South Parade, Oxford OX2 7NN COST: ÂŁ7 full price, ÂŁ5 concessions The dancers, using their bodies, will build the architecture and forms of a city. The surroundings will feature less and less until the dancers are alone, each one inside his own very personal space bringing the audience into an atmosphere of heart and soul.
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Thursday 28 – Friday 29 July
Street theatre Between 4pm and 6pm Visitors to the city centre will be able to enjoy 24 groups of young performers presenting 5 minute mini-shows created during their week-long stay in Oxford. Find them at Oxford Castle & Bonn Square (12 groups at each venue around one hour and then swap!).
The Visit DATE: Friday 29 July TIME: 7-9.30pm VENUE: Oxford Town Hall, Main Hall COST: £5 Friedrich Dürrenmatt’s The Visit is a tragi-comic play about the power of money to corrupt. A former resident of a poverty-stricken town returns but with a sinister motive. Since leaving she has acquired vast wealth
Friday only After the street theatre performances follow the costume parade through Oxford City Centre, from Cornmarket to the Town Hall, before the grand finale
and seeks revenge against the town’s shopkeeper who avoided a paternity suit by bribery. She offers the townspeople half a billion pounds if the shopkeeper is killed. After an outright rejection of the scheme, the townspeople begin to have second
performance.
thoughts. Created during the festival by all the young people from Oxford and visiting countries. This finale performance marks
LOOK OUT FOR MESH 2012!
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the end of the Mesh International Youth Arts Festival for 2011. Sponsored by MINI Plant Oxford
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Credits
Booking & venue information You can book tickets for all events at both
Produced by Pegasus www.pegasustheatre.org.uk
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A Pegasus B North Wall Arts Centre C MINI Plant Oxford T-Building
Pegasus and The North Wall Arts Centre
C Pegasus Magdalen Road, Oxford OX4 1RE www.pegasustheatre.org.uk Booking line 01865 812 15
Bonn Square, Oxford Castle Centre
Pegasus is in the east of Oxford city centre and can be reached by crossing the Magdalen Bridge over the river and taking the Iffley Road turning off the clock adorned The Plain roundabout. The theatre is only one and a half miles from the city on a one way street, Magdalen Road just off the Iffley Road. There is limited on street parking but buses 3 and 4 from the city centre take you practically to the door (ask for the Magdalen Road stop).
All the street theatre venues are in the city centre and are pedestrian only areas.
The distinctive copper facade hides the Pullman Stage a 135 seat auditorium, a cafe serving meals and light refreshments through the day and wines and beers in the evenings and a friendly staff team ready to welcome you.
The Oxford Town Hall is on the south facing road of the city centre crossroads Carfax.
Opening hours Mon – Wed 10am to 8pm, Thu – Sat 10am – 10pm, Sun 10am – 3pm
The North Wall Arts Centre South Parade, Oxford OX2 7NN www.thenorthwall.com Booking line 01865 319 450 The North Wall Arts Centre is north of the city centre and can be reached by heading along the Banbury Road from Martyrs Memorial then taking a left turn before the BBC Oxford studios. About 2 miles from the city centre, South Parade is a street of quality shops and restaurants and has limited parking. Buses to the venue from the city centre are numbers 2 and 7 which take you to within 2 minutes walk of the venue (ask for the South Parade stop). This relaxed venue has a 200 seat theatre space and a bar open before and after shows. Artists regularly exhibit in the foyer and theatre staff are happy to show you around. Opening hours Mon – Fri 10am – 4pm 21
Street Theatre Venues
The Visit Venue Main Hall, Oxford Town Hall St. Aldate’s Oxford OX1 1BX
The Main Hall of the Oxford Town Hall is in a Grade II listed Victorian building featuring ornate plaster mouldings, pillars, balcony, a tiered stage with pipe organ and holds up to 400 seats. The Town Hall is open daily and welcomes visitors to its cafe, exhibitions and displays. D Bonn Square E Oxford Castle Centre F Oxford Town Hall
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Festival Team Cathryn Baker Grey Burdick Paula Clark Euton Daley Nomi Everall Allan Hutson Gill Jaggers Jenny Lewis Lucy Maycock Nicola Moses Angharad Phillips Yasmin Sidhwa Taryn Storey Karl Sullivan Dave Thwaites Emily Winfield May Wylie Clive Stevenson
Acting Workshop Tutor Film & Video Tutor Festival Team Festival Team Design & Making Tutor Dance Workshop Tutor Publicity & Press Creative Writing Tutor Festival Team Dance Workshop Tutor Acting Workshop Tutor Festival Director Creative Writing Tutor Finale Director Technical Manager Festival Producer Festival Team Technical Manager (North Wall Arts Centre) Natalie Grant Stage Manager/Technician (North Wall Arts Centre) Dave Thwaites Head of Technical (Pegasus) Pegasus Youth Theatre Production Company Festival Planning Group Selorm Amoako, Maddison Ball, Goose Charlton, Kema Daley, Claudia Day, Chantelle Dunn, Shulamit El Baz, Tom Eyre, Manon Franklin-Fraiture, Jamie Halliday, Thea Isom, Sade Marcelle, Maria Marinari, Raymond Pelekamoyo, Chloe Robinson, James Roberts, Bethany Taylor Advisory Steering group Rebecca Baxter MINI Plant, Oxford Martyn Brown Oxfordshire County Council Rachel Capell Oxford City Council Fernand Garnier Rencontre Festival, Grenoble Jacqui Ibbotson Oxford Inspires Bob Price Oxford City Council Tony Stratton Oxford Inspires Laura Worsfold Oxford City Council Gaza Fundraising thanks to: The Hoping Foundation, Keith & Christine Hill, Roz Yuvall, Samia Shibli, Palestinian Solidarity Campaign Oxford, Hugh Jaegar, Bette Jones, Kathy Van Praag, Jane Alexander, Andrew Reekie, The Bishop of Oxford, Belinda Allen & Ramallah Friendship Association, Claire Read, Deana Rankin, H.Williams, Heather James, Rachel Martin, John Pritchard, Ebonny Lay, Paul Godden & Rina Melendez, E.M Spivey, C.A. Fenton, Barbara Vellacott, Sandham, L.C.Mynheer, Patricia Baker-Cassidy, Arts Week Artists, Elizabeth Liddell, Richard Molineux.
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Mesh Oxford International Youth Arts Festival has been supported by:
Exeter College
and contributions from Sainsbury, Asda, and Lidl