Doncaster company with 80 year history head north to make their Edinburgh debut.

Originally commissioned by the National Theatre in 1997, Sparkleshark by Philip Ridley is still strikingly relevant today.

The play opens with 14 year old Jake taking refuge on the roof of a tower block in order to write his stories. He is a victim, the classroom geek, bullied by other boys and avoided by the girls. He is joined by other young people who follow the
natural stereotypes that any group of people, particularly at school, tend to produce – the bully, the victim, the wannabes.

As soon as they discover Jake, the taunting begins and although at first he endeavours to hide, he learns to fight back in the only way he knows how – storytelling. Soon the whole group is enmeshed in the story, enacting a fantastic tale which resonates with the dynamics of their own friendships and enmities.

Doncaster Amateur Players make their Edinburgh Fringe debut, building on an 80 year history of producing theatre. Director Justine Green who is course leader for Acting and Musical theatre provision at Doncaster College and University Centre, said: ‘This is such a beautiful play, which has elements reminiscent of one of my favourite films, The Breakfast Club. Taking a production like this to Edinburgh with such a fantastic group of fun loving individuals has always been a dream and now I will be able to tick it off my bucket list’.