Gatecrash: Cast in Doncaster, March 8-11

A show in Doncaster is one long party '“ and anyone can join in the fun!

Gatecrash is an interactive show, where the audience are on stage and fully involved in the action.

Toby Ealden created the show, which features a huge set that looks like the downstairs of a house.

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He said: “The audience come through the front door and play the role of gatecrashers at a party.

“They can follow the characters of the story and do what they want as long as it’s safe and legal!

“They can try what look like alcoholic drinks and look at the bookcases and shelves.

“Everyone listens to what’s happening on silent disco headphones so they can choose what conversations to listen to.

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“There are around 60 people in the audience and they will all have a different experience of the night.”

There are five characters in the play, each with their own interlinking storylines, and they have conversations throughout the evening. The rest is up to the audience!

Toby said: “We go from the awkward moment at the beginning when no-one is talking to the other end of the night when everyone has had a drink and there are arguments and tears.”

He added: “Every audience is totally different. You can never guess what they are going to be like.

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“The best ones are when they forget where they are and they get into the atmosphere of it.

“We have a dance-off and we give them things they are allowed to throw about, like soft furnishings.

“It feels very chaotic and like they’re trashing the place.”

He stressedthat no-one is forced to get involved and audience members can decide to stand back and just watch the goings-on instead.

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Toby said that the show was created to encourage young people to feel more at home in the theatre but the show is open to anyone aged 14 or over.

The young cast, often fresh out of drama school, have to learn how to cope with the chaos.

Toby said that they enjoy learning to make their own decisions, rather than being told what to do, although the show is very scripted and structured, otherwise it wouldn’t work at all.

Gatecrash is on its third national tour now and has been to Cast before.

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This time, the theatre company Zest are at Cast for a week, delivering a series of workshops, engaging young people into the creative process of theatre making.

Cast is also launching a Young Producers scheme.

Gatecrash is at Cast from March 8 to 11. Box office: call 01302 303 959 or by visit Cast in Doncaster