YEP Close Season with Illyria at Liverpool Playhouse Studio

Young Everyman Playhouse closes their season with a production of Bryony Lavery’s Illyria in the Liverpool Playhouse Studio.

This will be the Everyman and Playhouse’s initiative for 11-25 year olds, first scripted production and is a tale of war, journalism and love amidst a cycle of political violence and upheaval. It will be performed in the Playhouse Studio in April.

Illyria, written in 2002 by Bryony Lavery, will be performed by the YEP Young Actors and directed by Matt Rutter. Set in the war-torn fictional country, Illyria, the play tells the story of journalist Maria Vargas who travels to Illyria to interview the wife of the country’s dictator, Generalissimo. However things do not go according to plan and Maria soon finds herself caught up in a world of darkness, violence and torture.

Writer Bryony Lavery is one of the country’s leading dramatists, with credits including The Magic Toyshop (Shared Experience), Beautiful Burnout and Stockholm (Frantic Assembly) and the award winning Frozen (Birmingham Rep).

Matt Rutter, Director of Young Everyman Playhouse, said: “Having shown their skills in devising creative promenade performances I’m delighted that YEP will be working in the famous Playhouse Studio for their first scripted production.

“Bryony Lavery’s script feels particularly pertinent with the current events in the Middle East and the theme of conflict in Illyria gives YEP’s first season a perfect symmetry following the success of the opening production Intimate.”

YEP Young Technicians who have worked on all of YEP’s productions will again support Illyria with lighting and sound.

Illyria will be performed in the Playhouse Studio from 17 – 21 April.