St. Ives Youth Theatre - News Release
	Date:	12th August 2009
	Subject	SIYT storm the Fringe
	Contacts	For press enquiries about St. Ives Youth Theatre, please contact Ian Lloyd on 07803 088185. More information about the St Ives Youth Theatre is available on www.siyt.co.uk

SIYT have been taking the Edinburgh Fringe Festival by storm. In less than a week, the largest Youth Theatre company at the Fringe have performed at the Press Launch with Lionel Blair, had the honour of having a Cardinal as an audience member, staged torchlight processions and scammed Fringe Security into believing that they were bringing a major French Star onto the Royal Mile.

SIYT’s production, Vision, tells the story of Bernadette of Lourdes as you’ve never heard it before and has won plaudits from all quarters. Fellow performers have been stunned by the professionalism of the young cast and audiences have won over by the pathos, comedy and sheer wall of noise and colour produced by these enthusiastic young actors. On Thursday, SIYT closed the press launch that had been opened by showbiz legend, Lionel Blair.

After seeing Monday’s performance of Vision, Cardinal Keith O’Brien told the assembled cast “No one could have been left the performance unaffected by what they had seen and this is a great tribute to everyone involved” he added it had been “a spectacular performance”.
In promoting the show, SIYT have been singing at St Mary’s Metropolitan Cathedral and improvising on the Royal Mile including holding a very atmospheric torchlight procession.

However, the highlight on the Royal Mile was scamming Fringe Organisers into thinking that a French Starlet, Bernadette Soubirous was about to come onto the mile. Chauffeured onto the Mile by SIYT’s Musical Director, Brian Carter, the celebrity was in fact Bethan Morris of St. Ives who plays the lead role in Vision. In getting clearance to drive onto the Mile, local Police Officer told Jonathan Salt, SIYT’s Artistic Director, that he recognised Bernadette and thought he’d seen one of her movies! Mobbed by fans, from the Vision cast, the Fringe’s newest star was quickly ushered into Starbucks who apologised for keeping her waiting as they hadn’t been told of her imminent arrival.

Finally, SIYT's Vision Poster was voted in the Top 5 Posters of this year's Fringe.

The company will be performing Vision at 2.30pm at Sweet ECA until 15th August. For more information, please visit www.sweet-uk.net or www.siyt.co.uk).

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For press enquiries for St. Ives Youth Theatre, please contact Ian Lloyd on 07803-088185

Photographs and SIYT members can be made available for interview.

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