Theatre productions normally have a quick turn around process, but have you ever thought of starting the creation of a show on a Monday – then performing that show at one of the biggest theatre festivals in the world on the Sunday? Well, The Performance Academy took on this task yet again for this years Edinburgh Fringe Festival and showcased the amazing potential they have coming through their doors.
‘Festival’ by The Performance Academy was performed for family, friends and theatre goers at St Mark’s Church after an intense week long workshop devising the show from scratch. The show was a showcase of a variety of music from multiple genres and musicals, as well as some sketches placed nicely throughout.
The overall song choices were great, ranging from crowd pleasers to vocally strong songs that allowed some of the performers to highlight their vocal talents. The songs chosen took you on an emotional journey throughout. Having one of the performers playing the drums alongside the instrumentals was an excellent way of allowing another talent to grow and be shown to a crowded room of excited patrons.
The idea of a one week, creation to completion show is ambitious for any production company, and for TPA to give a cast varying from very young performers to mid teens emphasises the companies focus on building the talent and technique of everyone of any age, giving them a positive platform to learn, grow and experience the impact of their performance on a big stage.
The young people exuded confidence which truly speaks to the dedication of their teachers and the positivity of the company. The talent of the young performers was exceptional with many young stars taking the spotlight. The major impact in this performance was highlighted in the numbers which included the full ensemble, all the young performers came together well as a team and fully supported each other within their musical numbers. The most striking element of the performance was the joy that radiated from the young performers, they truly enjoyed each moment, basking in the celebration of what they had created and eager to showcase their talent.
The production was well balanced, taking us through different festival themes. The performance ticked every box with comedic sketches, heart warming poems which celebrated festivals from other cultures, feet stomping Scottish bangers and well loved musical numbers from our favourite artists and movies.
At times the company had some technical issues with their mics and speaker, technical difficultly is unavoidable at times and the company managed this well and created space for audience interaction. The musical numbers at times varied in strength which was most likely due to the rehearsal time of each number, this could be amended in future by focusing on creating less musical numbers and incorporating more scenes and weaving these throughout the performance to ensure each number had the same impact.
Overall this performance was inspiring, truly expressing the importance of the arts for young people. ‘Festival’ packed a powerful punch, demonstrating the talent of the young people of Glasgow and West Lothian. This tradition that The Performance Academy has made, creates a lasting memory for each of these performers and their audience which they will hopefully continue to inspire audiences and performers to invest into the Scottish theatre landscape.
Theatre Scotland 
Leave a comment