Droichead Youth Theatre Presents Who’s There? by Mary Benzies
Droichead Youth Theatre (DYT) is emerging from a covid enforced hibernation and on Wednesday 20th April at 7pm they’ll take to the stage in the Droichead Arts Centre for the first time in three years.
They’ve chosen a cracker of a play which tackles some major issues affecting young people to kick off their delayed 30th anniversary celebrations.
The central character of Who’s There? by Marie Benzies is Jack, a wannabe comedian, the play explores what it means to be a teenager with hopes and dreams that might be harder to achieve than you would think.
Jack lands a gig at a local bar, only to be confronted with the reality that no one else finds him as funny as he thinks he is. His friends in drama are giving him a hard time, his crush is taken by another guy, and his jokes fall flat, so he really has no time to deal with cancer sneaking into his life.
Full of dark humour, this play paints a picture of the hilarities, awkwardness and insecurities of being a teenager, and how a big event like cancer fits into the picture. The piece includes a parody of being in a drama group which DYT members particularly enjoy!
Funding from the arts council has enabled the members of Droichead Youth Theatre’s senior group to collaborate with lots of exciting local artists on this show including Artistic Director Christina Matthews, Lighting Designer Sophie Cassidy, and Film-maker Aisling Kane, with whom they will be making a legacy documentary/cancer awareness promotion film.
Daffodil Day might have just passed, but cancer is not a matter that can be dealt with in one day. The play was created in partnership with the National UK charity, Teenage Cancer Trust, as a way to open the discussion about teenagers with cancer.
DYT are keen to continue that conversation in their own community and raise both awareness and vital funds.
Droichead Youth Theatre
present
Who’s There? by Mary Benzies
Wednesday 20th April at 7pm
Tickets: €12/€ 10 discounted/€5 special under 18s rate
Booking: www.droichead.com 041 983 3946
Here’s what some of the cast members had to say about this play, how it was put together during lockdowns and other restrictions and why you should come see it:
“We at Droichead Youth Theatre have worked tirelessly over the past months to produce this show, and we’re very proud of it. It would mean the world to us if you came to see us perform!
“… We as teenagers rarely see plays that are relatable to our struggles. We wanted to change this, with this play. By working with both adults and each other, we feel we have produced a play that will speak to teens.
“As we read the script, we were struck by the uniqueness of the situation the character Jack was going through. The play addressed the topic that nobody seems to talk about – teens with cancer!
“But that’s not what really piqued our interest. It was the fact that despite the terrible situation, how someone so young could have such a huge event happen so unnecessarily in his life, Jack’s character stays the exact same.
“He realises that as he’s learning to live with cancer, he is still, despite everything, a teenager. He cares about his looks. He cares about his mammy embarrassing him in front of people. And above all, what almost every teenager worries about- does their crush fancy them back?!
“Jack is, like us, awkward, and still trying to figure out who he is as a person. He thinks he’s supposed to follow this one single path in life and if he fails now, his career is over before it’s even begun. We know those of you who are reading this can relate!
“We are so excited to finally perform this play after so many months of research, Zoom calls during lockdown, and rehearsals both online and in-person.
