65 students from schools all over the Wirral have come together to produce a new, hour long version of a Greek classic – Oedipus Reloaded.

This project was open to all schools on the Wirral and was funded by Wirral New Opportunities and the Arts Council of England. The company had a residential weekend at the Conway Centre in Anglesey where they worked with theatre professionals from around the country on a range of skills including physical theatre, vocal production and stage combat. Under the direction of Off the Ground they put together the play in 5 days and performed at West Kirby Grammar School, Pensby High School and The Oldershaw School.

Oedipus Reloaded is a sexed-up retelling of the Greek epic Oedipus Rex. Ancient Gods amuse themselves with the humans below . There is no escaping fate as Oedipus careers towards his inevitable ruin. Local playwright Phyl Brighhouse has created a striking new script, and the performance incorporates exhilarating music, disturbing images and huge amounts of energy.

Off the Ground’s production was a stylish depiction of the downfall of a great but murderous leader. Wirral was the only borough in the country offering this opportunity free of charge to all the young people participating.