All onboard the Skilltrain (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)

All onboard the Skilltrain

11:35am Thursday 22nd September 2005 in

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THE Trestle Theatre's Skilltrain programme returns flushed with financial and critical success.

The St Albans theatre initiative to give young unemployed people a grounding in theatre and vocational skills has won financial banking for another four courses from the European Social Fund.

At last year's Observer-sponsored Excellence Awards Course Leader Jane Scobling and Skilltrain student, and now administration assistant at Trestle, Tina Dawes, were rewarded.

Jane plays down her part in the honour, "it was about the project rather than me", but is delighted that the course has proved such a success. She says: "It's great to see the students carry through the courses."

The increased funding has meant that the course now runs for ten weeks rather than six weeks when it first started. In that time the students, who must be Hertfordshire residents aged between 16 and 24, learn every part of putting on a production from acting to designing promotional flyers.

Jane says: "The students feel complete ownership of whatever they create. They learn about writing, help shape the script, design costumes, source and buy props and design the look of the poster.

"We also give them work skills. Not all of them will end up working in a theatre but they learn about working in a team. Drama is good preparation for interviews."

The choice of production is entirely up to the students too. Much of the first weeks is getting the students comfortable - with the course and with each other. Jane hopes that individual talents will then come out and the production will evolve around them."

She says: "The dynamics of the group dictate what will be put on. It is very exciting at the start because we don't know where it will lead. Last year we had someone interested in computerised music and we managed to soundtrack some of the routines of a dance workshop that was going on at the time. Come with an open mind and be prepared to join in."

Even those who are not sure of what their talent is or feel they have no aptitude for the theatre have gained from the course.

Jane says: "Those who can't imagine themselves on stage are the ones who blossom the most."

There is plenty of professional help on hand to guide the students. The new course will feature the talents of professional scriptwriter Julie Garton and local director and singer Fenella Lee.

Apart from Tina there are plenty more success stories for students who have taken the course. Jane says: "The majority have gone on to arts courses. One, Marlon Prince, went to the Watford Palace Theatre where he assisted the director after the theatre's refurbishment."

The renown of Trestle means they are often the first port of call when film crews are on the lookout for help.

Last year's Skilltrain students ended up working as extras on the film Confetti which was being shot at Part Street Studios and starred Martin Freeman of The Office and comedian Jimmy Carr.

The successful students get a weekly allowance of £40 during the course and all travelling expenses are covered.

The next ten-week courses start on Monday, October 3, with the final staged performances happening on December 1, 2 and 3.