London teenage actor George Jaques has written and will be starring in Breathe, a play which very much focuses on mental health issues affecting teenagers. The production will raise money for the Childline charity.
The production is being backed by actor Jason Flemyng, who is also working on a short film with the young actor which they will be sending to film festivals.
“I’m pleased to be supporting George with his drama Breathe which not only tackles a difficult and important subject but is also raising money for such a great children’s charity,” he said.
“We hope people will turn out to support the play over the five nights and be generous with their donations.”
Breathe follows the lives of six teenagers as they face the struggles of growing up and the pressure they deal with on a daily basis to try and be as perfect as possible. The play is hoping to raise awareness of teen suicide.
The play is being put on by Athenaeum Productions which was also started by George when he was just sixteen.
“I started my production company as a direct response to my strong belief about the benefits that theatre and film have as a medium for self-expression – something particularly important for young adults caught in the limbo between the security of childhood and the independence of adulthood,” explains George Jaques.
“As well as giving young people a voice, my work focuses on taboo subjects that effect young people in today’s society, such as drugs, mental health and abuse, in the hope of creating talking points that bridges any age gap.”
The play will be on at Bunker Theatre in Southwark Street, Southwark, every night at 7:30 pm from 31 July until 4 August. People attending will be encouraged to donate money to Childline. Others will also be able to donate at justgiving.com by searching for Breathe.
“When I started working on Breathe and looking at which charity to support it was clear that Childline would be ideal,” says George Jaques. “Many people I know have benefited from using Childline, plus it’s a service young people see posters for around schools. But more importantly I really want to make sure the service continues and I will do anything I can to support it.”
> Naomi Round
Play by Young Actor Focusing On Mental Health to Benefit Childline
