Storyhouse Young Company returns to Chester this month with an exciting new performance entitled The Joy Show.

The young persons project, produced by Storyhouse, works with leading industry experts to write, stage and perform a new play, performed at the award-winning open air theatre. This year performances take place on Monday and Tuesday (August 14-15).

The Joy Show has been devised by more than 30 young people all based in Cheshire West and Chester, and is dubbed ‘a revolution against sadness’.

John Young, co-director of Storyhouse Young Company , said: “During our earliest sessions, it was unanimously agreed that 2017 has been a challenging year in more ways than one and The Joy Show is an attempt to find happiness in the everyday.”

The Young Company is part of Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre, this year staging Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Julius Caesar and a new version of Alice in Wonderland.

The company is led by professional directors Tom Frith, Freyja Winterson and John Young, who were part of the team who delivered Storyhouse’s community launch that involved more than 300 school children passing thousands of books from the old library into the new Storyhouse library.

“We’re really privileged to be working with such a dedicated team of young people on The Joy Show,” says co-director Tom Frith.

Storyhouse Young Company is a unique annual opportunity for 16-24 year-olds from Chester and the surrounding areas to gain first-hand experience in a professional theatre environment.

Members are also mentored by professionals from Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre, in order to nurture their talents and support their development, providing them with the tools to thrive in a career within the arts and culture sector.

Storyhouse artistic director, Alex Clifton, said: “we’re immensely proud of this year’s Grosvenor Park Young Company, and it’s been fantastic to see our young people engaging so creatively on the project. They’ve demonstrated a genuine commitment to theatrical collaboration, and I truly cannot wait to see the final result!”

Performances will take place at 7.30pm on Monday, August 14, and 4pm on Tuesday, August 15. Tickets cost £5/£3 concessions.