THE depth of young acting talent in Gloucester was showcased when the Arts Gloucester Kids’ Drama class performed their first play before an appreciative audience at the CITZ.
Arts Gloucester has been running drama classes for Primary students since 2025, beginning with eight children from year 3 to year 5.
Success breeds success, and 2026 first term’s classes attracted fifteen enthusiastic students, including year 6 students for the first time.
The play the children worked on this term was titled “Irene’s Incredible Illucinations”, which was a slightly modified version of Alan Ayckbourn’s 1969 play, “Ernie’s Incredible Illucinations”.
The play revolves around Irene’s parents.
Worried about their daughter’s mental state, they take her to see a doctor because her thoughts are manifesting into reality, and throughout the play her imagined adventures are acted out.
The classes have been run weekly at the Tennis Club, but it was thought it would be fun for the students and the parents to have them perform before a live audience.
The students took part in a whole-day workshop before performing in front of parents and friends in the evening.
The classes were co-ordinated by Wendy Buswell and Charlie Lethbridge, who were joined by Mo Hjorth and Joe Hogan.
“I’ve worked with the kids from the start of the term, and we spent a whole day workshopping the play before the performance in the evening,” said Mo.
“Everything developed beautifully and their acting was superb.
“The children were so focused and confident and all their hard work paid off.”
Primary Drama classes will be continuing in term two, and the details will be on the Arts Gloucester website.
By John WATTS
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