Queen rewards 30 years dedication with MBE

One Directions's Liam Payne saw Robbie Williams – take over The London Palladium with the help of Wolverhampton's Central Youth Theatre

Wolverhampton Central Youth Theatre (CYT)  director Jane Ward was presented with her MBE by the Queen (nice picture in the Express & Star here http://bit.ly/IpHa0x) to recognise 30 years of  service to Drama and the Community of Wolverhampton.

Jane, of Bradmore, Wolverhampton, has led CYT since founding it in 1983, winning awards and leading the group to represent the city throughout Europe, including Austria, Ireland, Italy, Russia, Lithuania, Germany, Belgium, Latvia, Hungary and the Czech Republic.

 

Yesterday (Thursday 28th November) she was at Buckingham Palace to receive her award from the Queen before Jane and ex-members working in theatre, film and TV had a celebratory meal at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA).

It was hosted  at the BAFTA195 Restaurant by BAFTA  member and ex-CYT member Liz Griffiths, who dressed the set of new Richard Curtis Film “About Time”.

Other ex-CYT members included lighting designer Tim Routledge, who programmed the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympics and Tom Parry and Ben Clark stars and writers of BBC3 sitcom Badults.

This year CYT, working with city 8-25 –year-olds, represented the United Kingdom at the World Amateur Theatre Festival in Monaco, performing their own adaptation of the play Burnt By The Sun in the Salle Garnier Opera House in Monte Carlo.

CYT has also staged city-based festivals and exchanges with groups from across Europe, the latest being the Everybody Dance Now festival in 2011 which was a Cultural Olympiad Inspired project, culminating in a festival involving theatre groups from Austria, Italy, Lithuania, the Czech Republic and Poland.

CYT, currently based at the Newhampton Arts Centre, Dunkley Street, Whitmore Reans, Wolverhampton,  is now under threat from financial cutbacks being imposed on Wolverhampton City Council, as part of the Government’s austerity programme.

Jane said: “To receive an MBE is a tremendous honour for myself, CYT and the city.

“It’s a bitter sweet irony that I am receiving the award at this difficult time for the council and ourselves, but I  hope that the award will help people to appreciate just how hard we have worked for 30 years, the hundreds of thousands of pounds we have raised and spent in the City, and help we have given to more than two thousand young people to acquire skills and abilities which have served them well in their careers – not just in the entertainment and theatre industry – but in all walks of life.

“For example, recently as we were in Leicester Square getting a national film award at the National Youth Film Festival Awards for our film Salt ‘n’ Malt.”

 

Central Youth Theatre flashmob in Queen Square

 

More than sixty CYT members took part in a flash mob in the city’s Queen Square on Saturday, with music from each of the three decades that the group has operated in.

CYT assistant Holly Phillips said:   “Preparing the flash mob was really fun and we wanted to show the people of Wolverhampton just how much CYT means to young people – and why it’s important it gets support to carry on providing more amazing opportunities for decades to come, particularly at this time when our Director is being honoured for her achievements.

“CYT has faced many adversities over the years, and Jane had to work like crazy to keep it going. Members are all immensely proud of her going to the Palace.”

In Queen Square CYT members upbeat ‘flash mob’ officially launched their 30th anniversary year before the ITV Central cameras on Saturday (http://www.itv.com/news/central/2013-11-24/flash-mob-protest-against-theatre-funding-cuts/).

It was ahead of director Jane Ward travelling to London again, having previously been in town  for CYT to get their film award. At the same time Wolverhampton's Liam Payne, of boyband One  Direction, saw ex-Take That star Robbie Williams get help from CYT as he took over the London Palladium for a show with songs for his One Night Only show.

Liam, just back from One Direction's world tour, was with girlfriend Sophia Smith – counteracting rumours that the couple had split – saw the Staffordshire-born superstar sing No One Likes a Fat Pop Star clad in a big padded suit while being told off by Victorian urchins dressed in costumes provided by Wolverhampton’s Central Youth Theatre (CYT) Actors Wardrobe costume resource at The Arts Market, Salop Street, Wolverhampton.

The one-off show was a first chance to hear tracks from Robbie's new album, Swings Both Ways, as he performed with his orchestra and guests.

Instead of Nicole Kidman duetting on Something Stupid Robbie had Muppet Miss Piggy as his partner.Kermit the Frog appeared, as did Rufus Wainwright and Lily Allen but the big applause was reserved for when Robbie brought dad, Pete, on stage and when Robbie performed a track dedicated to his 18-month-old daughter.

 

Robbie Williams: One Night At The Palladium was filmed for BBC1 in front of invited guests and fans on the Friday and is intended to be shown at Christmas. His new single "Go Gentle" was released on the following Monday (November 11) and his new album "Swings Both Ways" came out the following Monday.

On Monday night Robbie was featured in the return of BBC Radio 4’s Mastertapes. The UK’s best-selling solo artist of all time joined presenter John Wilson to discuss his career-defining album. Broadcast over two consecutive days each two-part edition of Mastertapes involves an in-depth interview with the artist (for the 'A-side'), questions from the studio audience (for the 'B-side' on the Tuesday night) and exclusive live performances of songs from the albums.

Meanwhile, also on Friday, ten CYT members and CYT Director Jane Ward were round the corner at the National Youth Film Festival Awards 2013 at Vue  Cinema, Leicester Square, to receive an award for their short comedy film about everyday goings on in a Black Country chip shop in the Round My  Corner category hosted by actors from Horrible Histories.

Salt ‘n’ Malt. was made at Pennfields Plaice, Birches Barn Road, Wolverhampton, this summer after a £5,000 award from First Light Film, the education arm of the British Film Institute. CYT member Lauren Riley, aged 20, of Fordhouses, Wolverhampton, came up with the idea and devised, wrote and co-directed it with Kieran Bird, 20.

More than 20 young people were involved in making the film, premiered, with behind the scenes footage, at Wolverhampton’s Light House Media Centre in June. All films nominated were shortlisted by an industry panel and the winning films were selected by a group of celebrity judges. Judges this year include Toby Jones, Damien Jones, Mel Giedroyc, Jason Solomons, Danny, Leigh, Dan Zeff and more.

This slapstick comedy was filmed in the style of a Spaghetti Western with much fun and comedy being derived from the Black Country dialect.

Black Country filmmaker Mark Pressdee, who was the Film Mentor to the young people, has recently had great success with his short film Titanic Love which has been winning awards at film festivals all over the world during 2013.

CYT member Lauren Riley says: “I am very honoured to gain such a great experience with Central Youth Theatre, if it wasn’t for being a member I would never imagine attending a London film festival, let alone one where my film idea is being nominated.”

Jane said: “We are very excited about winning the award but also about the fantastic costume order from Robbie. It is a great tribute to the quality of costumes we hold. Like all charities and voluntary groups we are feeling the effects of austerity policies and cuts in funding. This year we are making the resource more widely available beyond theatre, film and television by hiring out making costumes available for the whole community to hire during Christmas and holiday season.

“We can costume Santas, Elves, Fairies, Victorian ladies and gentlemen and children, knights and damsels, pirates, very fashionable vintage – anything you can think of for celebrations and parties. We try and make the most of what we have got to help us cover costs and to continue working with young people developing their confidence, abilities and skills so that they can enjoy theatre work and stand a better chance of employment when they go looking for careers.

“Over thirty years we have worked with thousands of young people in the area, helping many into excellent careers, and we want to keep doing so.

"We realise that the council and others who have helped us with funding over the years are having a very tough time at the moment but our members and their families have always contributed to the running of youth theatre and we have always tried to raise funds in as many ways as we can think of.

“Recently we have bag packed at Tesco at Burnt Tree Island, Dudley, had two ex-members run the Birmingham half-marathon to raise funds and had a fun family quiz night at the West End Working Men’s Club, Wolverhampton – to help us keep providing a great service to young people in the area.

"As funders find it more difficult to help we are doing our utmost to draw on our own resources – and making our costumes more widely available to hire than just for theatre, film and TV seemed a good idea. It is also a way of helping others to have a really good Christmas celebration.”

Actors Wardrobe is based at  The Arts Market, Wolverhampton Market, Salop Street, WV3 0SF.