Contact Theatre Young Actor's Theatre Company bring on Christmas

The website of the Contact theatre says that performances are aimed at a younger audience, but are older theatregoers missing out on some innovative theatre? As the theatre's programme goes from strength to strength, even Matt Fenton, the Contact’s artistic director admits some of his friends wrongly believe they are could be too old to be in the audience. As Christmas approaches, I spoke to the theatre’s young actor’s company that is preparing its show Advent Avenue, which opens this week. Nineteen young actors under the age of twenty-five will take part in the production, which promises to bring a little bit of everyone’s Christmas to the stage.

Auditions for Contact Young Actor's Company, or CYAC, are held three times a year, so at any one time two thirds of the team would have worked in previous productions. It is not necessary to have any previous acting experience and as Paul Mayers, the Director of Advent Avenue, points out, they "try hard to get an interesting mix of people" from different backgrounds.

The group ranges from students, like nineteen year old Lauren Elizabeth Evans who did some acting back in London and decided to carry on when she came to Manchester for University, to young people in full time work who have never acted before like Rory Garraghan, 23, who decided to come and "see where it led" when he felt like a change from the "9 to 5 routine" of his painting and decorating job. Where it has led so far includes a role in a BBC radio play. Eighteen-year-old Conor Glean, who has by his own admission never ventured out of the acting safety net of an educational establishment, also sees Contact Theatre as a step forward, as "it’s not as though if I’m doing badly my parents are going to be told".

Nineteen-year-old Tyler Dobbs is on the more experienced side of the spectrum, having performed from a young age and most recently starred in the Simon Pegg film The World’s End, but he still recognises what CYAC can offer. He says, "coming here I saw a really raw side to acting". He adds, "it’s nice to see new friends that are just as committed as I am".

So, do they feel that the ‘young’ in their company’s title is off-putting? Tyler would prefer them not to be labelled, but he acknowledges there could be a social purpose as CYAC demonstrates "young people of the community showing what they can do". But Conor disagrees with the idea that they are somehow flipping convention: "I don’t come here thinking this great because someone who might on the streets might be here, I come here because I want to better myself as an actor".

As opening night approaches, the actors know that because of their youth, the audience could be predominantly supportive family and friends, but there's still hope that there will also be newcomers, looking for a different type of Christmas story.

Advent Avenue is on at the Contact theatre from Thu 12 to Sat 14 Dec.

You can hear more interviews with CYAC on the Manchester Corridorpodcast from Friday 13 December.