BRISTOL OLD VIC'S YOUNG SIXSIX COMPANY TAKE CENTRE STAGE DURING RAP ROMEO AND JULIET 

Bristol Old Vic's youth group Young SixSix will make their mark on the theatre next month with a curtain-raising performance in the foyer - to sit alongside Romeo & Juliet,  a co-production by Bristol Old Vic, Belgrade Theatre Coventry and Hackney Empire.

The Young SixSix company will be contributing new music and fresh perspectives on Shakespeare's classic tragedy as their pre-show performance - taking place over three nights of the run - explores the origin of the "beef" between the Montagues and Capulets.

This pre-show performance will take place in the final week of the run, 3-5 April, and is part of the collaboration between Belgrade Theatre's creative team and the Young SixSix cohort. The young people have written, produced and performed to set the scene for audiences as they arrive at Bristol Old Vic.

Young SixSix rehearsals began in Summer 2024 with a workshop led by Romeo and Juliet director Corey Campbell and co-creators That's a Rap - the Coventry based company exploring new forms of storytelling through rap and drill beats. Since then the Bristol Old Vic Engagement team have been working with Young SixSix to create a performance full of movement, projection and new songs written by the group.

Young SixSix is an ensemble that meets regularly at Bristol Old Vic to make and watch theatre. The aim of the project, now in its 8th year, is to offer pathways into theatre for young people who may not have considered it before. The cast performing in Romeo and Juliet pre-show comprise 18 young people, most of whom have never performed before.

This March, we are taking part in the Big Give Arts for Impact and raising money for Young SixSix. From Tuesday 18th to Tuesday 25th March, anything donated will be matched by the Big Give, and all funds raised will go directly towards funding our Young SixSix programme.

Help to continue our work and tackle inequality in the arts by providing a safe space for young people to develop skills, hear from diverse voices and inspire future generations.

Offering a weekly group provides young people with a third safe space away from home and school to grow as individuals. They gain access to positive role models and develop key life skills, including collaboration, communication, confidence, speaking and listening, and creative expression. Working towards a shared goal, Y66 helps young people build a brighter future, with support extending to job references, and higher education guidance, for university and drama school.