Students Perform Sell-Out Show

A company of student actors from City of Westminster College have performed a sell-out show as part of the National Theatre Connections festival.

The performance of Ayeesha Menon’s The Ramayana Reset took place at the Arts Depot in North Finchley.

The play deals with issues including social media, friendship, loyalty, and the importance of knowing the truth.

The CWC students performed with maturity and determination and accompanied their acting skills with newfound skills in physical theatre, choreography, singing, and storytelling.

Made up of first year UAL Level 3 Performing Arts students, the company worked tirelessly, alongside their teachers and staff, at the college’s Sarah Siddons Theatre to prepare for the performance which was described as “electric” and “memorable.”

Commonly summarised as a “play within a play”, The Ramayana Reset tells the story of Zara, a young woman who finds herself with a huge decision to make.

The CWC students’ performance, which took place on 27 April, was incredibly well received by those in attendance and the college extends its congratulations to the talented young actors for their success.

NT Connections is the National Theatre’s annual, nationwide youth theatre festival.

Over 27 years, the programme has established a well-deserved reputation for championing the talent of young people from across the United Kingdom.

Each year, NT Connections commissions 10 new plays for its actors to perform, a process that succeeds in bringing together the UK’s most exciting acting, writing, and production talent.

Representatives for Hofesh Shechter Company, whose movement inspired the piece, said:

"It was great to see how Hofesh's movement inspiration had been filtered and assimilated into CWC company's version of Ayeesha's play.”

Charlie Round-Turner, Curriculum Manager for Music and Performing Arts at City of Westminster College, said:

“This is the standard and line of sight to industry that we offer in the CWC performing arts department.

“It has been an enriching experience and we are very proud of what this group has achieved within their first eight months of being with us.

“In a play about ‘to like or not to like’ We Like. No! We love!”