If you have a talent for drawing, fininsh this drawing by Cathy Brett 

You could win a fantastic Prize pack that includesa t-shirt, and signed copies of Ember Fury and Scarlett Dedd.

Simply email your drawings to: headlineteen@gmail.com by the end of September 2010.

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Theatre review: The Red Helicopter

at The Almeida, London

6^th – 7^th August 2010

 

It’s 2072. Britain finds itself abandoned. The remaining population are society’s outcasts, deserted by their government.

By Beth Oppenheim

 

Post-Apocalyptic drama, The Red Helicopter, tells the story of twenty such outcasts. A group of teenagers who had been in care before the Exodus face dangerous conditions as they inhabit an abandoned office in Central London. But they are ruled over by a corrupt tyrant, a sixteen year old boy who calls himself “Daddy”, played convincingly by Misha Patel.

 

Playwright Robin French meditates sensitively upon the breakdown of society, avoiding the temptation of slipping into a mess of sci-fi warfare, thus allowing the audience to make real emotional connections with the actors. The cast, aged between 15 and 22, were consistently enthusiastic and intriguing to watch as they provided relentless entertainment for the audience.

 

An eclectic mix of song, dance and dialogue came together to create something truly distinctive. Break-dancing, snatches of opera, heavy bass guitar and drums all sit oddly, yet comfortably together as each actor clearly plays to their strengths. Perhaps the most memorable moment is when a powerful stage-fight takes place, resulting in Daddy lying wounded and bleeding at the front of the stage. There is something tactile about this moment, as the audience are perversely manipulated into feeling a strong sense of pathos for a destructive and manipulative dictator.

 

The production was innovative, dynamic and intelligent from beginning to end. Highly recommended.

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