Speaker Harriet Meeuwissen-True from Interplay Theatres Leeds

Harriet gave a fascinating talk on the work of the theatre. They have been engaging with the community in Leeds for over 40 years, enriching our local area with high quality arts experiences and events. Their work is audience-centred, providing significant opportunities for the people involved to take a lead and develop their own ideas, skills and experience, whilst challenging attitudes and expectations.

They give the community the opportunity to tell their own stories through a variety of different media; encouraging them to explore theatre, film, drama and music to create work of an extremely high standard.

Their ethos is to guide people towards projects that explore their creative strengths, working around subjects and within genres that are of interest to them. Projects in the past have ranged from alternative education programmes such as Tools for the Trade to Go-karting projects involving entire families like the Spit Nolan Challenge Race

Their main programme arms are: -

Sensory Theatre

These productions provide such things as one-to-one interactions with the audience include singing directly to an audience member and offering props to be touched and closely examined. They also deliver sensory theatre workshops exploring how we can use touch, taste, sight, sound a smells to bring theatre to life. These workshops are suitable for all ages and abilities parents can even join in too.

Youth Theatre

Using an independent approach to youth theatre groups, LS12 Theatre is run by its members who have the choice to decide what productions they would like to run and what role they will take in making it happen.

The group offers the opportunity for its members to develop skills in all areas of theatre and are therefore responsible for all aspects of the company, from advertising to lighting to performing, which is guided and facilitated by the group leader and local professionals

Film Making

LS12 Film is a dynamic award winning film-making project that engages young people from across Leeds, inspiring them to tell their stories through film. The project gives young people the opportunity to work alongside artists, actors, screenwriters, animators and editors to produce high quality films and learn skills in film-making and working in the industry.

They can be found at:

and their web site is http://interplaytheatre.co.uk