Mixing theatre, storytelling and comedy, writer and performer Sophie Willan tells a gripping autobiographical tale that is by turns heart-warming, heart breaking, ridiculous… and sort of true.She will tour The Novice Detective to three Somerset venues on Take Art’s rural touring circuit on 12, 13 and 14 November, visiting Langport, Ilminster and Bridgwater.
The Novice Detective plays a particularly special part in Take Art’s autumn programme, as the promoters for these performances are all under the age of 15. Take Art’s Rural Touring Director Sarah Peterkin has been mentoring groups of Young Promoters in each of the three towns, giving them an insight into event organisation, and arming them with resources and ideas to take on all aspects of promoting The Novice Detective within their communities. Enthusiastic Year 9 students from Huish Episcopi Academy in Langport and Haygrove School in Bridgwater, plus members of Ilminster Youth Theatre, have been gaining first hand experience of organising and hosting a professional performance, and encouraged to take ownership of their event.
On 24 October, Sophie and the show’s producer Oliver Sykes came down for the day from Manchester to meet two of the young promoter groups. After giving the students a sneak preview of excerpts of the show, Sophie and Oliver talked with the groups about their ideas for promoting the show and how to market it to their friends, families and wider communities. Some of the students signed up to be young promoters to go towards their bronze Arts Award, for which they need to pass on skills to young students. As part of the tour, Sophie will also be leading drama workshops for the young promoter groups (plus one at Holyrood School in Chard) to build their own skills for delivering workshops to younger year groups. Jess, a Huish Episcopi Academy student, enjoyed the session with Sophie and Oliver and said, “What I’m most looking forward to is the workshop with Sophie and passing on skills I’ve learned to younger groups. I enjoy drama but I’m quite shy so I think this will help! I’m also looking forward to reviewing the show.”
Sophie said, “It was really inspiring to learn how the groups are doing so many different things, from reviewing to promoting, and so passionate about it. By the end of the project they should have loads of new skills to go with their passion for it!”
Oliver was particularly impressed by how the young promoters were working together on the project. “It’s fantastic to have young groups from rural communities coming together for peer to peer learning – they’ve had brilliant ideas and can really inform each other about how to market and produce their shows”.
Winner of the 2012 Flying Solo Commission at Contact Theatre Manchester, The Novice Detective has been commissioned by Contact and the NRTF Strategic Rural Touring Programme, supported by Arts Council England and in association with Take Art. With tickets ranging from just £3.50 to £8, this hilarious and touching dark comedy is suitable for young people aged 13+ and their families. You can find out more about the tour, including how to book tickets, here.