NT Connections, the National Theatre’s annual youth theatre festival, saw 126 local young people performing five new plays in three days at Lighthouse Poole.

Every year, Connections commissions new plays for young people to perform, bringing together some of the UK’s most exciting writers and the next generation of theatre-makers.

As one of 33 partner theatres across the UK taking part, Lighthouse hosted two performances a day featuring young actors aged 13-19 from Dorset Drama Academy, Poole High School, Dorset School of Acting, Oasis Youth Theatre, Swanage School and Mayflower Youth Theatre.

“This is a great opportunity for local young people to engage with the National Theatre in the 30th anniversary year of the Connections festival and to see their work on stage in a local professional venue,” says Charles Shenton, Lighthouse Creative Engagement Producer.

“For Lighthouse, it is important to connect with national institutions as a forum for new writing and play its part in nurturing the next generation of theatre professionals.”

This year the National Theatre worked with more than 250 youth theatre companies performing plays that offered an engaging and diverse range of material to perform, read and study. As part of the festival, young people also have the opportunity to engage in all aspects of the theatre making process both on and off stage, including costume, lighting and set design, and learn about the many skills and roles involved in theatre.

The plays performed this year were: Ravers by Rikki Beadle-Blair, Brain Play by Chloë Lawrence-Taylor and Paul Sirett, Fresh Air by Vickie Donoghue, YOU 2.0 by Alys Metcalf, and No Regrets by Gary McNair.

Previous Connections playwrights have included Liz Lochhead, Mark Ravenhill, Anthony Neilson, David Mamet, Bryony Lavery, Lenny Henry, James Graham, and Cush Jumbo.

Several performers have appeared at the festival and gone on to be professional actors including the Oscar nominated Keira Knightley (Pride and Prejudice, Pirates of the Caribbean), John Boyega (Star Wars: The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi), Dylan Llewllyn (Derry Girls), Callum Scott Howells (It’s A Sin) and David Oyelowo (Selma and Silo), who appeared in the very first Connections in 1995.