Southport concert aims to bring 'hope and happiness'

Southport Dramatic Club Youth Theatre wants to create an "uplifting" concert

Members of a youth theatre in Southport have said they hope performing a concert of uplifting music will "make people feel there is hope and happiness" after the town was devastated by a knife attack.

Southport Dramatic Club Youth Theatre will perform at the town’s Little Theatre later with some of the ticket sales going to the Southport Strong Together Appeal, which helps those affected.

The group had previously been rehearsing Sweeney Todd but after the deaths of three girls in the July stabbings it decided to put on a musical performance instead.

The songs chosen "reflect the zeitgeist of the town at the moment", co-director Jonathan Plunkett said.

'Solidarity'

Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, died after an attacker entered a Taylor Swift-themed dance class on Hart Street in Southport on 29 July.

Ten others were seriously hurt including yoga teacher, Leanne Lucas, 35, who was recently readmitted to hospital.

The youth theatre group which will perform Songs For Southport is made up of young people aged between 14 and 24.

Alfie, who is one of those performing, said: "We didn't want it to be something that was sad.

"We wanted to make people feel there is hope and happiness."

Mr Plunkett and his co-director Deborah Bloom said it had been a "really emotional journey".

"Its been really tough and the young people have been so mature and compassionate," Ms Bloom said.

"Obviously we felt that we needed to change the production because we just didn't feel the content was appropriate given the circumstances and so we adopted a different role and it was all about getting the right songs together for an audience."

Mr Plunkett added: "We wanted to give the young people the opportunity to state how they feel and state their solidarity with the town and the community.

He said the group had chosen a series of songs "that we feel reflect the zeitgeist of the town at the moment".

Songs For Southport takes place at Little Theatre and runs until Sunday.