The Young and Hungry Festival of New Theatre is on at BATS Theatre. (Happy 19th birthday Y&H!)  It’s an exciting festival that supports young performers and crew in gaining experience in theatre. This year the three plays are…

 

Dragonlore. Written by Nic Sampson; directed by Richard Dey.

Alan, Loren, Dena and Chris are gathering together on their friend Jack’s parents farm to take part in an epic LARPing tournament. Alan has to drag along his little brother Frank (cause his Mum told him to) but he’s pretty confident it’s going to be a great weekend. Jack is running the tournament aided by farmhand Robert. However, they haven’t played as a team for a while and people have changed…

A funny exploration of friendship, rivalry, and identity set in the world of Live Action Role Playing.  There’s plenty of physical action which is well executed. The cast are supported by the design team. The set by Lauren Stewart has 3-d geometric  interpretations of pixellated clouds and trees. My favourite show on the night.

 

Atlas/Mountains/Dead Butterflies. Written by Joseph Harper; directed by Ralph Upton.

Atlas is struggling under the weight of the world. He’s hoping to find some way to keep it supported after he’s gone. Rhys and Phoebe live in a house with a dripping tap. The plumber is called in. Meanwhile, a representative from the Green party and a man on the street have their own stories to tell…

A surreal meditation on activism, the environment, and social pressure. I particularly liked the soundscape in this one. I felt that all the actors were really grounded in their roles.  Special mention to Ash James who brought lots of energy to her role. Of the three plays, this one will stay with me the longest.

 

Trashbag. Written by Georgina Titheridge; directed by Alison Walls.

Maddy is throwing a party. Her flatmate Otto is helping (sort of) to get the flat presentable. Her boyfriend Chris shows up early, but not to help. Plus he’s invited Eric – who she really doesn’t want to see again. As the night wears on, and people come and go, Maddy has to deal with a number of dramas.

This is the one I connected with the least. The cast all had moments where they shone but some of the transitions weren’t as smooth as they could have been. They may have relaxed into the performance as the season progresses.