THE NATIONAL Theatre of Scotland (NTS) has collaborated with youngsters across Ayr to showcase their talents.

In association with The Gaiety Theatre, a range of young people have been given the chance to define landmarks in their lives through music in ‘Wild Life FM’.

As part of a month-long festival of work called Futureproof, the production brings together music, theatre and live radio in celebration of Scotland’s Year of Young People 2018.

The show gives a voice to individuals and what it is like to be a young person in Scotland today but also an insight in the minds and lives of the young people of Ayrshire.

Marianne Maxwell, a producer at the National Theatre of Scotland explained how these individuals have developed over the course of the production. She said: “It is really inspiring. I have worked on a lot of other projects but what amazes me is how fearless young people are.

“They are just so brave and putting themselves on stage and making their own work, writing their own songs, telling their own stories and just being really brave.

“I think it’s really empowering and its very impressive. I’m from Ayrshire myself and I’m so excited that young people from Ayrshire have got this chance to work with not only the national theatre of Scotland but a world class theatre company and to do work like this is amazing.

“We have never done anything like this before and its exciting but also challenging in many ways.”

Aaron Bond, one of the young people involved in the show, described how grateful he is for the opportunity to work with such a big organisation. “Its amazing and a big opportunity. It has opened a lot of doors into the acting world and I think it is a brilliant opportunity for young people.

“Its huge to work with the National Theatre of Scotland and I am just delighted I have had the opportunity to be involved with something like this.”

Fellow performer Sarah Carrick added that she believes it is important to convey a strong message to other young people. “My part in the show is that I write and perform an original song telling my story and the show just comes together really well and acknowledges issues that people sometimes don’t think about.

“Its massive to work with the NTS an there is a lot of potential to go further with them. I had actually came to the audition thinking I wasn’t going to get in. I was actually looking to become a lawyer but if something like this goes well I would maybe look to do something with music and the NTS have helped me do that.”