Isle of Man Guide

TWO teenagers are behind a showcase of talent that will star 170 young people aged 11 to 18.

Dan Palmer and Tina Adamson, both 19, have written and are working with the cast of Ctrl Alt Del, which will be staged at the Gaiety Theatre, Douglas, on 15th and 16th May.

Computer keyboard characters Ctrl Alt Del and others will tell their own story and will introduce dance, music, magic and theatre acts in a two-hour extravaganza that offers something for all tastes.

Dan and Tina are both members of the Manx National Youth Theatre, which is run by the Department of Education’s Youth Service.

Dan hopes to study at the famous Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts (LIPA) from September, while Tina is becoming a very valuable youth worker.

The pair, plus others from the Manx National Youth Theatre, took part in a Shakespeare Youth Festival at LIPA last year and it was here that Dan’s potential was spotted and he was invited to audition for a place.

After two gruelling rounds of auditions he was offered a coveted place on a one-year foundation course in acting from September. For Dan, who was forced to abandon his A-level course at the Isle of Man College as he was trying to simultaneously hold down three jobs to pay for his accommodation, attending LIPA, which has Sir Paul McCartney as lead patron, would be a dream come true.

The initial course would lead on to a three-year degree course and Dan, who wants to act on stage or screen, said:

‘I know it’s a tough business to get into but if I don’t give it a try, I will never know what could have happened.’

He said of his involvement with Ctrl Alt Del:

‘It’s nice for Tina and I to take responsibility for a group of young people. We’ve picked the cast and, as we wrote the script, we know how we want it performed and it’s great to see it coming together. Everyone is working really hard as we get closer to the performance but they are all doing really well and we are really proud of them.’

Tina left the Isle of Man College and now works as a catering assistant at Noble’s Hospital. For her, involvement in the youth production is more of a hobby.

She first met MNYT members when she took part in the College pantomime and has since taken part in several productions. But this is her biggest ‘role’ to date.

She said:

‘Dan and I were given the initial idea by the youth leaders and we brainstormed to get the script together. It’s great to see it all coming together. The young actors are really enjoying it, they have all learned their lines and are taking in the direction we are giving them. It’s great that I can use my skills to put into working with young people, who have been brilliant.’

Ken Callister, the Department of Education’s Senior Youth Officer, who is organising the show, said many of the young people taking part had links to Youth Service clubs and projects. However, some had never even been to the Gaiety Theatre before, let alone appeared on stage.

Ken said:

‘There is something in this show for everyone, from musical theatre to indie rock and dance, with traditional music and magic to add to the mix. ‘For many young people it will be their first taste of life as a performer and it may inspire them to follow this path as a hobby or even a career. For others it will be a once-in-a-lifetime involvement. But for all those involved, it will be an experience that will stay with them for their rest of their lives.’

Jackie Betteridge, one of the show’s directors, said:

‘We should be very proud of our young people here in the Isle of Man. They want to show us what they can achieve and they deserve our support.’

Tickets, priced £10 for adults and £7 for under-18s, with a discount for group bookings, are available from the Villa Marina and Gaiety Theatre box office. Visit the Youth Service website for the latest on the line-up.

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