Wyke Sixth Form College is celebrating a major achievement as its Performing Arts students have been selected by the National Theatre to perform their production of The Animals at The Lowry, Manchester, as part of the prestigious Connections Festival 2026. Written by Sean Buckley for the National Theatre’s Connections programme, The Animals offers a compelling and emotional exploration of agency, education, and lived experience within the youth custody system. The play challenges audiences to consider the structures surrounding young people and the power of storytelling as a tool for change.
Former Market Weighton School student, Ethan Cookson, said that he would like the audience to reflect on the message contained within the production. “I hope that the audience see that the people that are in youth detention facilities aren't really getting the education that they deserve to get. And the actual struggles in our youth detention facility system, and we just hope that it's a bit of an eye opener for people watching.”
Teacher of Performing Arts, Courtney Nichol emphasised the significance of this achievement. She said, “We are incredibly proud that our students have been selected to perform at the National Theatre Connections Festival at The Lowry, representing Wyke Sixth Form College on a national stage after being chosen from a large number of companies and thousands of performers across the country; this achievement reflects their outstanding commitment, creativity, and talent. Throughout the process, students have developed not only their performance skills but also their confidence, professionalism, and understanding of working in a real theatre environment, gaining invaluable experience of rehearsing and performing to a national standard. As highlighted in local coverage of Wyke’s performing arts success, opportunities like this showcase the high quality and ambition of the students’ work, and this experience has been both a significant achievement and a transformative step in their development as performers."
Wyke’s production was chosen by Tom Bellerby, a multi‑award‑nominated theatre director and arts leader based in Yorkshire and London. As Artistic Director of Attic Theatre Company and Co‑Chair of York’s Pilot Theatre, Tom has followed Wyke’s journey closely, from the production’s initial run at the Wyke Theatre, to its performance at York Theatre Royal, and now to its selection for the national festival stage at The Lowry.
Reflecting on the invitation to perform at the Lowry, Laura Andersson, Deputy Head of the Performing Arts Faculty, said: “This is an amazing opportunity for our students to showcase their talent at a nationally recognised festival. Throughout the whole process, students have benefitted from working alongside theatre professionals to develop their skills, both on‑stage and back‑stage.”
The National Theatre’s Connections Festival is one of the UK’s most significant youth theatre programmes. For over three decades, it has commissioned brand‑new plays for young performers, pairing leading playwrights with the next generation of theatre‑makers. Each year, the programme works with more than 250 youth theatre companies and over 6,000 young people from every region of the UK, championing creativity, collaboration, and professional‑level theatre experiences.
For former Sirius Academy North student, Annabelle Hill, the prospect of performing at the Lowry, Manchester is something special. She said, “It means a lot. It definitely feels very surreal because, I mean, we as a group, we've all come together with such a love for theatre, and it just feels really exciting to be able to show that hard work back to such a large audience on such a respected stage, and it just feels really exciting, and it's definitely a huge accomplishment, and it just feels like we're a part of something bigger.”
Being selected for The Lowry is a testament to the talent, commitment, and professionalism of Wyke’s Performing Arts students. Their work has resonated with industry professionals and audiences alike, marking this as one of the college’s standout creative achievements of the year. Wyke is incredibly proud of the cast, crew, and teaching team who have brought The Animals to life with such depth, maturity, and artistic vision.
The Wyke cast will take to the stage on Sunday, 28 June at 7pm. Tickets are available online at https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/whats-on/connections-2026-the-animals/
