Scene & Heard - Jumping For Joy

In The Times, Dominic Maxwell goes behind the scenes of Scene & Heard, a mentoring project that partners the inner-city children of Somers Town, London with volunteer theatre professionals, including playwrights.

In a Camden community centre, child playwrights aged 9 to 11 sat watching their work being performed for the first time. And I sat there moved to laughter and even the odd tear by bizarre yet beautiful playlets that keep on cutting to the dramatic chase. Animals and inanimate objects are the protagonists, but get over that device and you’ll find characters who are full of refreshingly straightforward human emotions. The writing is about love, loss, family and aspiration.

Scene & Heard's latest production, Jumping For Joy is at Theatro Technis, London NW1 (020-7388 9008) from Thursday 2nd July to Sunday 5th July. Tickets are free but must be reserved in advance.