South West: 'Whispers in the Walls'

Whispers in the Walls was a project using the “Play in a Week” model.  It involved young people from “acta youth theatres in devising, rehearsing and performing a site specific performance trail at Farleigh Hungerford Castle in Somerset during half term week in June 2005.

The project was a partnership between English Heritage and “acta, a Bristol-based community theatre organisation with 20 years experience in delivering participatory theatre projects in the South West.

The project participants were mainly young carers from “acta’s two youth theatre groups for young carers in Bristol and Bath.  Other “acta youth theatre members also participated.  19 young people attended the initial site visit in March, and 12 young people participated in the week long site based project in June.

The project was funded in the main by English Heritage Outreach, but “acta also contributed funding from its Zone project budget, supported by the Neighbourhood Support Fund.

The project included a preparatory visit to Farleigh Hungerford Castle by acta team and youth group participants in March 2005, followed by a preparatory devising day at the “acta studio in May, to prepare the basic scenario for the play, which to be based on the stories heard on the visit. 

4 days of site-based activities, devising and rehearsing the performance in the week of half term, culminated in performance day on Saturday 4 June 2005, with three promenade performances attended by over 150 people.