Hundreds of young people will help to produce a large theatre and arts event across London.

The Third Tricycle Takeover will feature over 50 events, screenings, performances and masterclasses between March 13 and 23.

500 young people aged between 11 and 25 will play a role in the events, including working backstage, marketing and performing.

Liam Shea, the director of creative learning at Tricycle, said: “It is really important to engage young people in the arts.

“Theatre can help young people to tell stories they’re burning to tell but also enable them to access  worlds they may have never dreamed of.”

He added: “This is the power of theatre. It can break down boundaries, question our thinking and help develop or change attitudes.”

As part of the takeover, Tricycle will also mark ten years of the Minding the Gap project, where around 180 migrants have developed short plays based on characters from Alice in Wonderland.   

The company have also announced a £20 ticket to gain access to all the events, aimed at making them more accessible.

Indhu Rubasingham, Artistic Director of the Tricycle Theatre said: “Over the last three years, Takeover has established itself as one of the Tricycle’s annual theatrical highlights.

“It’s an integral part of our artistic programme and I’m particularly looking forward to seeing the Tricycle Young Company (TYC) performing on our main stage, in addition to young performers from across the capital.”

The 2016 Takeover is being headlined by the TYC-produced Bred, which addresses how young people address sex, and includes interviews with their parents.

The Tricycle is also hosting National Theatre Connections (NTC) as part of the scheme, which will include close captioning of each NTC performance.

The Third Tricycle Takeover kicks off in March. For more information, click here.

Image: Tricycle Theatre Takeover