A GROUP of Liverpool youngsters have sparked a national debate about gangs, identity and youth culture.
Behind the Hood, at the Unity Theatre, is the product of six months’ work by 70 young people from across the city.
The 11-19 year olds incorporate acting, dancing, music, photography and film to question how today's society perceive their generation. "We're not always up to something, we just like to hang out and have a laugh" says one small boy in a tracksuit. His mate adds: "We have a lot to give. We are all human with our hopes and dreams."
Two young boys from 2010 get accidentally transported to the future where they join a class who are learning about gang history.
The cast cleverly recreates scenes from 1870 through to today. Flashing lights and old- fashioned music conjure up silent movies of the 1880s while the coloured lights and fairground music of another scene, whisk the audience to the 1950s seaside and the gang trouble of that day.
This scene shows these first-time actors at their best as they cleverly create a hilarious boxing ring, a rollercoaster and a slot machine without the help of props.
Directer and writer John Wheelan said the idea came from a Rotunda youth play he directed called Rewind, which looked at North Liverpool gangs.
He said: "My idea with the piece was to develop this body of work by looking at the history of gangs to look at media perceptions of our young people through the ages. This was to make the point through a variety of creative mediums that this is nothing new."
Research into the Cornermen, the High Rip, 1950’s Teddy boys, 1960’s and the 1980’s led John to develop a script. He said: "Young people explored the history and devised scenes around what we had done through the research section of the development of the piece.
"This was then developed into a working script and I used a variety of tableau and multi-media by which to frame the piece.
"This project has been a real creative journey and has been fantastic in the ways that its broken down not only geographical boundaries but also intergenerational ones. It has been great to see how the young people involved have gained in confidence through the medium of creativity."
Creative director Joann Kushner, who worked on the production's film and photography, cites her two inspirations for the show – meeting a 14-year-old who had been stopped by the police 400 times, and a quote from Greek poet Hesiod who said: "I see no hope for the future of our people if they are dependent on the frivolous youth of today, for certainly all youth are reckless beyond words."
Joann comments: "The main thing that's come from the project is the young people's belief in what they can do. They've taken complete ownership for the project and proved what they have got to give."
Work has begun to take the project nationwide while Liverpool's young people will perform Behind the Hood again at the opening of Liverpool's waterfront museum.
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