Performing Arts students make their debut in top London Theatre

LONDON — HND Performing Arts students at Oaklands College got an amazing opportunity to tread the boards at a London theatre this weekend to perform their end of year production.

The team of six students who study at the Welwyn Garden City Campus took their production, Edges’ to paying theatre-goers in the nation’s capital with a performance on Sunday at the Cervantes Theatre in Shoreditch, a venue renowned for performance by many top London theatre schools.

American musical review ‘Edges’ show is a charming, witty and honest examination of adulthood explores what happens when we are teetering on the ‘edges’ of our lives, covering universal issues as love, commitment, identity and meaning.

Students have been working on their hour-long adaptation of the show for their Final Major Project for the academic year. Thanks to the hard work of their tutors, the students were able to extend the reach of their home county and take their performance to a whole new audience. They took the performance to audiences at Onslow St Audrey’s School in Hatfield and the on-campus Myriad Theatre in the days before their London debut.

Director of Curriculum Liam McGrath said: “Ask any young performer, and the experience of taking to the stage in a London Theatre is pretty much as good as it gets.

“Thanks to the hard work of the tutors, our students were able to showcase their skills to not only friends and family, but paying members of the public.  The opportunity was there and without doubt our students stepped up to deliver a professional performance. They did the tutors and the college very proud.”

HND student Jenna McArdle said: “The Edges journey for us was often poignant, exciting and emotionally challenging. Having the chance to perform the show in London has been a fantastic opportunity to give us the experience every performer dreams of – performing on a London stage.”