Splurge guns at the ready

With Splurge guns at the ready, 250 aspiring young actors are dodging flour bombs, and hurling custard pies in the Wyvern Theatre this week as they rehearse Bugsy Malone.

The Swindon Summer Youth Project, which has been going for 20 years, gives youngsters a taste of professional theatre over a two-week period.

A team of professionals including a choreographer, musical director, musicians and technical team come together with the young people, aged from nine to 21, to create a full scale musical in just two weeks.

To mark the 20th anniversary, the Wyvern has chosen Bugsy Malone, because it was the very first Summer Youth Project produced in Swindon, in 1994.

It is the story of gang warfare in the 1920s, but because the bad guys are played by children it has a plenty of slapstick and comedic twist.

The plot is based on a washed-up boxer, who steps in to take control of Fat Sam’s Gang to give Dirty Dan and his boys what for. Bugsy is based loosely on the real life Chicago gangster Bugs Moran.

Fraser Green, 18, who is about to join the Wilkes Academy of Performing Arts in September, is taking the part of Bugsy. He says that it is not all action-packed boys’ stuff.

“Bugsy is also a love story. Underneath the tough gangster he is a nice guy with a soft spot for Blousey,” said Fraser, who thinks the youth project is a good starting point for anyone wanting a career in the theatre.

“But the project is also so much more than just staging a show, they way they handle things at the theatre is fantastic. They are so nice and make everyone feel like a star,” he said.

This year’s production is under the direction of Matthew Dye, who was also the director of last year’s project, Our House, which also starred Fraser, as Emmo.

“He is a director that gets inside your head and he really helps the principals get through the difficult scenes,” said Fraser.

The project is not all about those who want to be in the limelight – there are also opportunities to have hands-on experience behind the curtain, learning stage craft in management, scenery, props and the wizardry of lighting and sound.

While the project aims to give youngsters an all round musical theatre experience, it also helps to increase their confidence, learn social skills, make friends and, most of all, have lots of fun.

• Bugsy runs from Thursday, August 21 to Sunday, August 24 at the Wyvern. Tickets are from £12 from 01793 524481 or swindontheatres.co.uk.