The Connections Festival at the National Theatre continues with more new plays performed by youth groups across the country. The great thing about NT Connections is the journey that the participants go on through the course of programme. From rehearsals, working with the playwrights, and the possibility of performing at the National, it’s an adventure that twists and turns – which is reflected in the audiences who get to experience the work at the end of the process.

In Frank and Ferdinand written by Samuel Adamson and performed by Ulidia Integrated College, a village already affected by a war within the country sees one hundred and thirty children disappear over night. This mysterious phenomenon is inspired by the tales of The Piped Piper, who seduces the children of a town away for being refused payment for removing the rat infestation from the city. Only in Frank and Ferdinand the children are rallied together and encouraged to leave for war by Sebastian (Jack Kerr), who believes he has been told by ‘the elders’ that he is the chosen one to do the job. Kerr is a commanding Sebastian, gripping Adamson’s dialogue and rallying monologues with ease. As Sebastian’s brother, Um-Aloysius, played by Ross Hamilton, is too flamboyantly scared to travel the distance to the ‘recruitment camps’ and he falls behind, left with the other few handicapped children who were discouraged from marching with them. Hamilton is brilliant as Um-Aloysius, and his constant cries of “Sebastian…” as he begs to go back are comical, and even saw several audience members recreating the same voice outside the theatre afterwards.

As a piece, Frank and Ferdinand has a strong cast, but it’s a shame that Adamson’s script doesn’t allow for more of an ensemble feel to the work. There are numerous parts that have only a few lines, and are meant to just make up the bulk of the ensemble, which is a shame. However, director Annemarie McPeake does admirably with decisions on ensemble moments, stripping the work back to just the dialogue itself with movement. Whilst this simplicity is great in showing off the strengths of the Ulidia Integrated College, the direction does become a little repetitive towards the end of the piece, and just when you feel like the story is progressing Adamson’s script seems to wrap it all up a little too quickly for my liking. Considering the demands needed from the cast to be inspiring comrades, a strong performance is delivered, and there are some wonderful performances from Ruby Campbel, Jessica Calder and Holly Corscadden.

From mythical stories to political genocide, the NT Connections plays couldn’t differ more with Children of Killers by Katori Hall. Set in Rwanda after the president has agreed to free many men from prision after the Tutsi genocide, the piece focuses on the lives of the children and mothers that have been left to fend for themselves whilst the fathers have been locked away for years. It is a poignant play, tackling difficult subject matter, but one that is beautifully captured by City Academy Bristol with the help of the creative team of Bristol Old Vic.

Children of Killers is rich with opportunities to uncover some of the historical and cultural ways of Rwanda, which thankfully City Academy Bristol has managed to achieve. Under the direction of Miranda Cromwell, the piece flickers between live music, projections and an excellent revolving set, allowing for a real sense of Hall’s ambitions for her play. The subject of killing fathers, and right with wrong, is wonderfully portrayed in an honest manner. The cast have clearly worked hard with Cromwell to bring out the real heart of the piece, and as the projections of a man raping and disembowelling a woman is show, you can’t help but to feel connected and moved by the real life history of Rwanda.

The production values of Children of Killers are excellent, and the cast cope well with the pace and rhythm that Cromwell has created by combining music and song. It is a shame that as an ensemble, the cast don’t flourish as much as they could have done with Hall’s dialogue; instead the performances seems more driven on the atmosphere and qualities of Rwanda instead of an emotional connection to the characters. There are some touching moments, and as the lights dim on the story, the feeling that elsewhere these problems still exist can’t help but to be felt.

NT Connections 2012 is now open for submissions. You can find out more about the programme and how to get involved on the website here.