A charity transforming the lives of care-leavers using drama and long term support, The Big House returns to their highly praised production The Ballad of Corona V with an updated and remixed version.
Professional actors, several who are The Big House alumni, will be joined by an ensemble of care-leavers and at-risk young people who will work with The Big House on essential life-skills before coming together to rehearse and perform the show. The Ballad of Corona V – The Remix will take audiences on a promenade, socially distanced journey through The Big House building, presenting snapshots of the past year through the eyes of London’s young people in a raw and biting satire.
The show is directed by The Big House’s artistic director Maggie Norris, and written by David Watson, whose plays include Flight Path and screenwriting includes winner of three Children’s BAFTA awards L8R. Music comes from bestselling grime artist and record producer Jammz, whose stage work includes Poet in da Corner at the Royal Court.
The Ballad of Corona V – The Remix takes you on a dark and comic musical journey through The Big House building to tell you the tale of Covid-19 in London 2021. Has it all just been a bad dream? If so, then when did it start? Who is Stefan Prince? Do dickheads really matter? And can Boris bring us all out of lockdown in time to save Pancake Day?
The Big House’s work offers training, workshops and long-term pastoral support for young people to unleash their creativity and build their aspirations whilst giving them a platform to speak about issues affecting them. Current participants are taking part in a 14 week programme (an altered offering from the usual 12 weeks due to Covid-19) which first teaches life-skills, such as budgeting and tax returns, before rehearsing and performing in the show. Whilst the skills taught are applicable to all walks of life, several have gone into acting as a career, including several actors who make up the professional cast of The Ballad of Corona V – The Remix.
Director Maggie Norris said: “Never have the voices of our young people been so critical, yet they are hugely at risk of not being heard. The COVID-19 crisis has impacted us all in different ways and we are not ‘all in this together’. We will be addressing the harsh reality of what has happened in this pandemic to some of the city’s most marginalised young people.”
The Big House opened their venue in Islington in October 2018, offering both a theatre space and a centre for alternative learning to help young care leavers transition from care to independence. The Big House has had huge success stories helping to secure university places and top agents for their young people and launching exciting careers in the TV, film and theatre industry.
The Ballad of Corona V runs at The Big House 3rd – 26th June 2021. Details and tickets can be found here.
