At the end of June, Stagelights of Grove are producing Alan Ayckbourn’s recent comedy, Improbable Fiction. A small “Creative Writing Group” of struggling writers are meeting to discuss progress so far with their work. They are a motley collection - varying from a historical romance writer, to science fiction and even instruction leaflets! The chairman, Arnold (instruction leaflets), sets out to get a report on status so far from all the members – well, those that have managed to turn up – only to find that everyone has hit a “writers block”. Arnold attempts to motivate them by suggesting a collaboration of their work, but this is met with little enthusiasm. However, just when we wonder if there’s anything left for this group, Arnold’s imagination takes off and we get a glimpse of what “might just be possible”.

New Greenham Arts' resident youth theatre company Shining Lights experienced a taste of South African culture when members of K-CAP theatre company visited the group recently. The workshop saw K-Cap choreographer Lucky devise an African dance piece with the group and Shining Lights' Artistic director Peter Watt working on a drama technique called Archetypes. The Newbury company was approached at the beginning of the year by Christian Aid who have supported K-Cap’s trip to the UK. Both theatre groups joined forces as they share similar ideas about the training and development of young people with an interest in performing arts. Shining Lights have been invited to work with K-Cap next year when the group hope travel to South Africa and perform with K-Cap and the young people of the Kwa Mashu Community.

Shining Lights will perform The Roses of Eyam at the New Greenham Arts Centre on the 14th and 15th July.