National Theatre’s winning New Views play is streaming to schools nationwide
Hattie Fisk
Monday, July 12, 2021
The winning play from NT’s New Views playwriting competition for students is available to stream until 6 August, written by 17-year-old Mackenzie Wellfare.
Cameron Slater Photography
Titled Perspective, Wellfare wrote the play to share his personal perspective on Autism, and use his own experiences to produce a story that mattered to him. The script was selected from hundreds of entries.
Perspective was performed in a full production at the NT, and the recording is being streamed to schools and colleges nationwide.
Audrey Sheffield directed the play with a cast that includes two autistic actors in the roles of autistic characters, including JJ Green in the central role of Leo.
Wellfare said: ‘I want to show a perspective of Autism that I believe hasn’t been truly shown in modern media, and yet which some people experience every day of their lives.’
New Views is the NT’s playwriting programme for 14–19 year olds. It’s online course is written by playwright Jemma Kennedy, and is accessible to young people, students and teachers for free. Schools can also sign up to an in-depth New Views programme that includes CPD for teachers, in-school workshops and NT productions.
Applications for New Views 2021-2022 are now open, and digital registration forms are on NT’s website. The programme will run from September 2021 to July 2022.
The project encourages young people to develop playwriting techniques and empowers them to tell the stories that matter to them. Teachers are offered upskilling opportunities as practical facilitators. For more information on this scheme, visit NT’s website.
The recording of the Perspective started streaming on 9 July, and is available for schools to watch until 6 August.
www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/learning/schools/secondary-and-fe/new-views