National Theatre Connections

Connections is the National Theatre’s annual, nationwide youth theatre festival. The programme is 31 years old and has a history of championing the talent of young people from across the UK. Every year, the National Theatre commissions new plays for young people to perform. The programme brings together some of the UK’s most exciting writers with the theatre-makers of tomorrow.

The Wycombe Swan is excited to be a Partner Theatre for the first time, welcoming 10 companies from across the Southeast to perform on our famous Main Stage.

*Content Warning: Shows may contain strong language and discussions of mental health.

Tuesday 24 March

MISHMAK YOUTH THEATRE presents Macbeth Macbeth Macbeth Macbeth Macbeth

When an alarm is deliberately set off during their GCSE drama exam, a group of students find themselves in detention. As they struggle to navigate the seemingly endless tasks they’ve been set as punishment, questions are raised. Who set off the alarm and why? Will they ever get out of this detention? Will it cost them their GCSE? And why is Shakespeare still so popular?

FURZE PLATT SENIOR SCHOOL presents Sycamore Gap

A whodunnit about the felling of the Robin Hood Tree at Sycamore Gap. Set on the day after the felling, the local police are ‘in school’ conducting an investigation. The twelve members of the school’s eco-club are held in a classroom, being taken out and interviewed one by one, until the culprit cracks and confesses. While they wait for their turn, the pupils interrogate each other. Who could have done something so monstrous? What possible motivation could they have had? What impact will it have on their club and their community, now that the tree is gone? And will it be possible for any of them to move on?

Wednesday 25 March

ST. ALBANS GIRLS SCHOOL presents Wildfire Road

A story about a generation whose future has been hijacked. The whole play takes place on a flight from London to Tokyo. There's a hijacker on board and the flight is re-directed to Siberia and in the process saving the lives of all 416 people on board, as the rest of the world is engulfed in a massive wildfire. It's metaphorical, prophetic and a tale for the most important question of our times - are we going to wake up and address the climate emergency before it's too late?

PUTTERIDGE HIGH SCHOOL presents Macbeth Macbeth Macbeth Macbeth Macbeth

When an alarm is deliberately set off during their GCSE drama exam, a group of students find themselves in detention. As they struggle to navigate the seemingly endless tasks they’ve been set as punishment, questions are raised. Who set off the alarm and why? Will they ever get out of this detention? Will it cost them their GCSE? And why is Shakespeare still so popular?

Thursday 26 March

SARACENS HIGH SCHOOL presents Ride or Die

The Kids spend the whole year arguing about whether Alton Towers is actually better than Thorpe Park. At the moment Alton Towers has got 2 votes and Thorpe Park has got 2 votes. The deciding vote goes to the youngest, Angel who hasn’t actually been to any of them yet, cause he’s in year 7 and you don’t get to go on The Theme Park Extravaganza until the end of Year 7. But that’s literally in like 2 weeks, so it’ll be settled once and for all, very very soon! So what could possibly go wrong?....Angel getting suspended from school, Nan going off on a surprise holiday, Dad coming round to look after them (and he's useless) and lasts one night, and The Kids borrowing Nan's car and colliding with a Waitrose delivery van. The whole affair is literally a car crash.

PUMP HOUSE CYT presents Britney’s Lock

When Ruby acquires a lock of Britney Spears’ hair as a relic to help her stay calm during her GCSE mocks, her friends dismiss it, but one by one they feel its power and want a piece of it, until it is destroyed. This funny play about how we cope in stressful situations, explores the power of belief and friendship.

Friday 27 March

THROUGH THE WARDROBE presents Sycamore Gap

A whodunnit about the felling of the Robin Hood Tree at Sycamore Gap. Set on the day after the felling, the local police are ‘in school’ conducting an investigation. The twelve members of the school’s eco-club are held in a classroom, being taken out and interviewed one by one, until the culprit cracks and confesses. While they wait for their turn, the pupils interrogate each other. Who could have done something so monstrous? What possible motivation could they have had? What impact will it have on their club and their community, now that the tree is gone? And will it be possible for any of them to move on?

Saturday 28 March

UNIQUE COMMUITY CHARITY presents Fishville

The story starts when a young man named Jared takes to the sea in swimming gear but never starts swimming… His death, which follows on from the unexpected sale of his parents’ house, throws the community into chaos. When the daughter of the man who bought Jared’s house arrives in Saltwell and finds a severed foot washed up at her feet, she and the daughter of the ‘second homers’ decide to investigate what drove Jared into the sea. They uncover a local myth about an underwater community – did Jared believe the myth? Then, ‘Jared’ starts posting messages, asking his friends to join him. With the new girl’s father spending more and more time in the sea, and the myth gaining traction, the young people must figure out what’s going on before anybody else is lost to a vengeful ocean…

JIGSAW YOUTH THEATRE presents Ride or Die

The Kids spend the whole year arguing about whether Alton Towers is actually better than Thorpe Park. At the moment Alton Towers has got 2 votes and Thorpe Park has got 2 votes. The deciding vote goes to the youngest, Angel who hasn’t actually been to any of them yet, cause he’s in year 7 and you don’t get to go on The Theme Park Extravaganza until the end of Year 7. But that’s literally in like 2 weeks, so it’ll be settled once and for all, very very soon! So what could possibly go wrong?....Angel getting suspended from school, Nan going off on a surprise holiday, Dad coming round to look after them (and he's useless) and lasts one night, and The Kids borrowing Nan's car and colliding with a Waitrose delivery van. The whole affair is literally a car crash.