News, events and schools' information for families across Bath and West Wiltshire

The Egg Theatre still has a few spaces available for this year’s innovative online summer school project, Summer Assembly, which runs from 10-21 August for 12-18 year olds.

The Theatre Royal’s summer school for teenage performers and theatre makers has been an annual highlight for more than 20 years. In the current climate, and with restrictions around social distancing and indoor performances, the planned Summer Company could not take place. However, The Egg’s team, led by producer Alex Duarte-Davies and director Sophie Jacobs-Wyburn, were determined that there would still be a way to engage, educate and entertain the young people in Bath and beyond.

Summer Assembly will utilise digital sound design, spoken word, soundscape and song, for a summer school like no other. This project will be completely online based, curated by Theatre School Directors and visiting artists. Over two weeks the participants and industry professionals will virtually assemble as a company, as well as develop as individual artists, through workshops and personalised coaching with professional creatives.

Members will have an ’assembly’ workshop every weekday morning, will be invited to Q&As with industry professionals, be able to connect and virtually collaborate with peers, and have a dedicated tutorial slot every two days. However, members should be prepared to undertake individual, self-led learning and creation.

Engagement will take place from 10.30am-4pm with workshops, Q&As and one-to-one idea development sessions with industry professionals. Participants can pick and choose to be part of as little or as much as they would like!

The last few spaces for participants, including bursary places, are still available, For any questions, more information or for a bursary form, please contact email hidden; JavaScript is required, or book your place online at www.theatreroyal.org.uk/event/summer-assembly-2020/ 

The resulting project, Echoing, will be launched from 24 August all over the city and can be experienced by audience members via their own devices.

Summer Assembly has been developed with funding from INNOVATE UK, enabling The Egg to develop online platforms for young theatre makers to engage in training forums, virtual rehearsals and technology driven performance opportunities. The practices developed through the summer project will support The Egg Assembly, enabling The Egg’s highly-acclaimed Theatre School work to continue into the Autumn and beyond. Full details of The Egg Assembly will be announced later in the summer.

Director of The Egg, Kate Cross, said, “Covid-19 has presented theatres with a crisis from which only the strongest will recover. These projects demonstrate that The Egg is one of those strong ones, determined to get back on its feet. This will only be made more credible with the kind of funder and benefactor support we have gratefully received so far”.