Give the gift of theatre this Christmas
ATOP theatre company is aiming to give schoolchildren across the borough a special gift this Christmas.
And it hopes local businesses and individuals will help out with a little extra festive spirit.
The Reading Between the Lines Theatre Company want to offer free seats to their production, A Christmas Carol, to primary and secondary schools.
The company has launched a crowdfunding page with a target of £5,000 which would provide places to over four hundred lucky pupils.
Toby Davies, co-founder of the group said: “We are staging a very modern version of Charles Dickens classic story, and we want as many schoolchildren as possible to see it.
“We are all about getting young people into theatre and giving them an experience we hope will stay with them in later life. That's why we are looking for incredible businesses and individuals who will sponsor state funded school children to the show at South Street Arts Centre.
“It costs just £12 to sponsor a child to see the performance. If you'd like to help us welcome as many children as possible to this fantastic Christmas show then please donate now and spread the word.”
The play is set in an office where everyone is decking the halls except Ms Scrooge who remains in a perennially bad mood. Her employees are slacking, her family members are unbearably cheerful and no quantity of yule log can shake her from her miserdom.
On Christmas Eve, however, three mysterious visitors will force her to embark on an epic journey of discovery, in the hope that Scrooge can finally swallow her humbug.
“Our shows are epic, fun, emotional and joyous. They're full of music, movement, amazing lighting and some pretty stellar acting,” added Toby.
“Our most recent production, Henry II, received many five-star reviews and before that Matilda the Empress was voted one of the Top 20 UK Shows of 2017 in The Guardian. Along with Henry I of England, these plays have won five awards and we're hoping that Christmas Carol is going to be the funniest of them all.”
To sponsor a seat, go to: www. justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ rbl-achristmascarol?utm_ term=N7dWdbZmv