YOUNG thespians lit up their community with talent to mark a landmark anniversary for Tyne Valley Youth Theatre.

Three teenagers created an ambitious promenade theatre show, with six installations staged across Riding Mill.

Abi Richards (15), Amelia Dixon, (16) and Eddie Plaskitt (15) decided to create a piece of theatre for their own community to inspire local youngsters to get involved in the arts.

The work was also designed to celebrate the fifth anniversary of Tyne Valley Youth Theatre.

Their theatre show, Illuminate, featured six performance installations based on some of the youth theatre group’s performances over the last five years.

The six micro-performances included The Twits, The Madhatter’s Tea Party and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Audience members were led around five locations in Riding Mill where they enjoyed immersive theatre performances.

At the end of the promenade performances, audience members enjoyed a buffet during the finale in which 40 young people gave a performance featuring physical theatre.

One of the young organisers, Amelia, said: “The experience has given me much more confidence to speak to different types of people and take on things that we wouldn’t usually do.

“The performances were really brilliant, I’m so proud of everyone involved!”

The theatre work was supported by North-East charity The Key, which helps youngsters develop their own projects.

Fund-raising and marketing manager of The Key, Abbie Foster, said: “Illuminate was an absolutely spectacular project.

“It was great to see the young people take their passions and turn them into something for the whole community to enjoy.

“This is what The Key is all about and it’s great to see the young people truly make it their own.”

Tyne Valley Youth Theatre is produced by Northumberland-based creative learning company Mortal Fools.

Creative producer and director Helen Ferguson said: “All the young people involved in the production regularly attend sessions at Tyne Valley Youth Theatre. They wanted to use the performance to inspire more eight to 19 year olds to join them.

“The community was blown away by the hard work and dedication they showcased throughout.”