Local young people Take Flight with New Adventures

Newcastle Theatre Royal has been working with young people from Community Groups, Schools and Colleges in the North East to develop their creativity in the performing arts and skills in stage management and Technical Theatre in a new partnership with celebrated storyteller Matthew Bourne and ground-breaking British dance-theatre company, New Adventures. 

The project, called Take Flight with New Adventures, is an exciting new addition to the theatre’s Creative Engagement and Talent Development programme and aims to open a world of joy, wonder, connection and creativity.  

As one of only six Place-making Partner theatres for the project, and the only one in the North East, Newcastle Theatre Royal has been connecting the region’s young people with talented dancers, ambitious choreographers and theatre technical experts during the run of Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake (Tue 25 Mar – Sat 5 Apr).  

Funded by Arts Council England, the New Adventures programme involved participants and pupils from dance organisations, community groups, six North East schools and two Further and Higher Education establishments. They took part in workshops and rehearsals in their own settings and when it was time to transfer to the iconic Grade I listed building in Newcastle’s Grey Street they: 

• Saw exactly what it takes to be a Swan Lake dancer during a three-hour Take Flight workshop led by the North East’s Contemporary Dance Ambassador Alyssa Lisle.

• Performed a 10-minute response piece to Swan Lake in Newcastle Theatre Royal’s newly refurbished studio theatre, showcasing all they have learned under the tuition of local choreographer Kate Stanforth and Matthew Bourne dancers/choreographers Glenn Graham and Sophia Hurdley.

• Experienced the thrill of seeing live theatre by watching Swan Lake after their workshop day.

• Enriched their learning by taking part in a post-show discussion, made accessible with a British Sign Language interpreter.

• Learned hands-on technical skills in stage management, theatre lighting and sound with guidance at Newcastle College and from the Newcastle Theatre Royal technical team and Matthew Bourne stage experts.  

The programme also provided Continuous Professional Development for teachers at the educational settings, equipping them with practical exercises, tools and tips for teaching dance and movement in the classroom. 

Newcastle Theatre Royal spokesperson Kim Hoffmann said: “Creative Engagement is at the heart of all that we do, and we deliver a programme of work that is accessible, is of quality and of relevance. From young people to professional artists and across communities, our work focusses on developing talent and supporting wellbeing through the Performing Arts through innovative, diverse and inclusive projects.”. 

Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures will return to Newcastle Theatre Royal in April 2026 during the run of The Red Shoes.  

To find out more about Newcastle Theatre Royal’s Creative Engagement programme, visit: theatreroyal.co.uk/take-part/