Great Expectations In Front of the Camera - Again!

The Cast of Great Expectations has been out and about in front of the camera yet again this week! Fresh from their appearance on STV's North Tonight on Monday evening, the young participants were snapped for some publicity shots outside their rehearsals at the University of Aberdeen

The pictures were taken by Jonathan Midgely

CHARLES DICKENS AS 'NEVER SEEN BEFORE'

A Week-long performing arts summer school kicked off in Aberdeen yesterday with 10 local youngsters taking part. The scheme, titled the Studio, has been organised by the Youth Music Theatre: UK (YMT), an organisation dedicated to producing theatre projects across the country. It is being held as part of the Aberdeen International Youth Festival and will run until Saturday.

Throughout the week the participants, age 12-16, will work with some of the best professional theatre directors, choreographers and composers in the country. The group will be encouraged to create their own piece of theatre using drama, dance and music and will be invited to invent characters and write lyrics to songs. Their work will culminate in a public performance on Saturday at the city's Linksfield Community Centre.

Scotland administrator for YMT, Kate Taylor said: "This is the first time we've done the Studio in Aberdeen and we're expecting a very successful week. What we do has great benefit for the youngsters' soft skills like confidence and communication but it also helps maintain their level of interest in theatre. In the past it's been amazing to watch those taking part go away having become more confident performers and having improved their theatrical skills. We are hopeful that this will be the first of many projects organised for Aberdeen."

Also as part of the Aberdeen International Youth Festival, a series of free lunchtime recitals will take place throughout the city over the next two weeks. Gary Staker's Steel Pan School will perform tomorrow and on Saturday at Union Terrace gardens while the Kutapira Marimba Ensemble will play at the gardens on Thursday. On Friday the National Youth Choir of Scotland's Edinburgh group will perform in the Maritime Museum on Shiprow. Ian Watt will play there on Friday, August 10.

Aberdeen Art Gallery will play host to the Christophorus Jugendkammerkor Choir on Tuesday, August 7 and guitarist David Buckingham will play at the Lemon Tree on Thursday, August 9. For more information contact festival organisers on 01224 213800 or visit www.aiyf.org

Great Expectations to hit the small screen!

Look out on STV for coverage and interviews with the stars of YMT:UK's Great Expectations. The stars of this year's production - performing as part of this year's festival - took a break from their 2-week intensive rehearsals at Linksfield Community Centre to welcome a camera crew from STV to film some footage to be screened over the next week or so on the national TV channel.

Keep an eye on STV news bulletins throughout next week to catch a glimpse of YMT:UK!

YMT:UK Arrive!

Today (Tuesday) sees the arrival of the Cast & Production Team of Youth Music Theatre:UK's production of Charles Dickens' Great Expectations. Rehearsals begin today at 2pm, when the 27-strong cast will meet and begin preparations for the show, being staged at the Aberdeen Arts Centre next month. The cast has been selected from the cream of Youth Theatre in the UK, with many local youngsters being chosen for the residential 2-week intensive course.

Great Expectations will be a vivid recreation of the Dickens classic distilled into a visual feast of musical theatre. This is Great Expectations as you have never seen it before. YMT:UK will create a show that is invigorating, comic and heart-breaking with an original blend of song, clowning and physical storytelling theatre in which members of the audience become collaborators in the creation of Pip’s world.

Together we will meet the eccentric Miss Haversham, have our hearts broken by the beautiful Estella, and speculate over the identity of our mysterious benefactor.

This production plays with Dickens’ ingredients, yet remains faithful to the language, characterisation and emotion of the original work. It will awaken you imagination, make you laugh and move you. Join us for an evening of potent musical theatre.

AIYF would like to welcome all those involved with YMT:UK to this year's Festival, and look forward to the production in August.

Festival Newsletter

Don't forget to sign up to the Festival's e-newsletter for regular updates and special offers!

Welcome to the AIYF Blog 2007!

Welcome folks, to the very first post on the brand new Aberdeen International Youth Festival blog!

AIYF is the World's largest annual participatory Youth Arts Festival, and runs in Aberdeen, Scotland from Wednesday 1st August - Saturday 11th August, 2007.

Every year, the Festival welcomes groups and individuals from all over the world to Aberdeen to take part in a colourful and exuberent celebration of cultures and the Arts. This year's programme includes participants from Spain, Scotland, Trinidad & Tobago, Switzerland, China, and America to name a few. Everything from Classical Music to Contemporary Dance, and much more in between will be covered.

This blog will keep you up-to-date with the latest news and gossip from the Festival, as well as reviews, previews, photos and interviews with participants. Daily updates will be posted so you can keep in touch, even if you can't make it to the Granite City for the 35th Annual Festival.

Please also remember to visit our main website at www.aiyf.org for more information on the Aberdeen International Youth Festival, and to download this year's Festival Guide.

We hope you enjoy the blog, and indeed the Festival itself - it's set to be one of the best ever!