33% LONDON

A celebration of theatre and film by and for young London

Oval House Theatre celebrates the capital’s vibrant and diverse new generation of creative practitioners in a groundbreaking season of film, theatre and workshops and seminars for audiences aged 16-25. 

THE BALD SOPRANO 
Ionesco’s absurdist masterpiece about the power of language is brought to a contemporary London where a wealth of languages are part of our everyday experience. Using the first languages of the actors onstage the production glories in our shared internationalism. An energetic adaptation that embraces the play’s absurdist style and powerfully fuses Ionesco’s original text with contemporary pop culture. 

LYRICAL MC 
A lively new production from Tamasha, which invites us into the private lives of young people in Britain’s secondary schools. As we tune into their lyrical daily chat, a revealing subtext of stories and dreams, posing and posturing, allegiances and rivalries emerges. Created from real life stories devised through workshops with young people, and performed by Southwark-based youth theatre REACT, Lyrical MC offers a rhythmic, multilingual journey through a typical school day.

CAUSE AN EFFECT
8 Royal Court young writers, 8 Oval House young actors, and 4 Young Vic Directors: could you possibly get more young and fresh talent in one space?
What happens when you throw 24 dynamic young artists from different disciplines into a project with no parameters? Join us for a week of short play readings written developed for 33% London.

33% FILMS
Films created for and by young people on various themes will be screened in the Upstairs Theatre. An evening of critical debate and discussion hosted by The British Film Institute.

The Red Room Platform presents
WHY ARE WE AFRAID OF OUR YOUNG?
An interactive evening of film, performance and debate. Amidst a nationwide epidemic of knives, guns and gangs infesting our communities, the award winning Red Room invites you to participate in a timely platform investigating ‘Why are we afraid of our young?’

THEATRE ROYAL READS @ 33% LONDON
Theatre Royal Stratford East Youth Theatre and Oval House Youth Theatre unite to present a night of play readings inspired and written by the young people of East London: 3 different plays of 3 different styles exploring the universal themes of home, relationships and belonging.

FiRST BiTES
Young theatre makers showcase work in development to an audience who are encouraged to give feedback and actively contribute to the creative process. 

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS 
A programme of workshops focusing on topical issues and professional development concerning young people in London today, allowing participants to fully engage with the work, develop skills, and take an active role in shaping their future.

JOIN THE DEBATE!
What is the difference between youth arts and professional arts?
Is it just a pay packet? Or is it quality control? Join the debate on our blog:

Oval House Theatre's Head of Programming, Ben Evans, acknowledges the importance of recognising the contributions young people can make towards shaping future creative practice: “the festival is called 33% LONDON and reflects the fact that one third of the Capital's population is aged 25 and under. To ignore the creativity, insight, challenge, and inspiration of that section of our community is to do us all a disservice.”

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