Play takes audience into 'nightclub' next to actors

The Marsh Farm area of Luton was the home of the Exodus Collective which organised raves and parties in the 1990s

A new play will transform a community centre in an area synonymous with 1990s rave culture into a nightclub and take audiences on a night out.

Club Revolution tells the story of two young people growing up in Luton from 1997 to the present day.

It will be staged by Revoluton Arts at Marsh House Community Centre in Marsh Farm from Thursday to Saturday.

"The audience are going to be at the centre of the action," assistant director Tiarnan Doherty said.

Assistant director Tiarnan Doherty was one of the young people from Luton who was part of project from the start

The venue has been chosen because it is the area of town that served as a base for the Exodus Collective - a community movement and sound system formed in 1992 that organised parties and raves.

It was the subject of a BBC Radio 1 documentary.

However, the comedy drama centres around the lives of two young people, Lu and Tone, who went through school and university in an era after the explosion of rave culture in the late 1980s and early 90s.

"They both have these big dreams and it's about exploring the idea that people who come from Luton or towns like Luton are often told the narrative that they maybe can't achieve those dreams," said Doherty.

"I think it's really going to resonate with young people."

The play was written by James McDermott who spoke to young people from Luton during the 2020 Covid-19 lockdowns, including Doherty.

"James learnt about what our experiences were like growing up in Luton and then, from our responses, he would then take bits and pieces of those and he crafted them all into this story," said the assistant director.

"The story is very literally taken from the direct experiences of people like me."

Marsh House Community Centre will be transformed into "Club Revolution" for the play.

Mr Dohety said: "The idea is that we take the audience on a club night out.

"The audience will come in and they'll be on the dance floor with the characters dancing with them, interacting with them and they will follow us on this journey.

"That's what's unique about it because people can come and see the show and they'll get a totally unique experience compared to maybe a different audience member."