August 24 2026

Creativity, confidence and connection at Miracle Young Company Summer School

The Poly in Falmouth came alive this August with imagination as young people joined us for the Young Company Summer School and a special one-day, troll-themed taster session. We offered a welcoming space where young people could meet others, explore new ideas and express themselves through theatre. Across four lively days led by Miracle’s Co-Artistic Director, Sally Crooks, participants aged 8-16 took part in games, storytelling, improvisation, devising and performance-making.

The workshops were bursting with creativity. Young people were encouraged to experiment, work together and follow their imaginations-without the pressure of having to get everything “right”. This playful approach is at the heart of Miracle’s work, helping participants develop confidence, curiosity and connection while discovering what they are capable of creating.

During the three-day summer school, Miracle performer Sophia Dear (Twelfth Night, Duffy) brought her creativity and experience as a professional actor to the room. We were also delighted to welcome a photography student from Falmouth University, who attended for a day to capture part of the programme. The resulting photographs offer a wonderful glimpse of the concentration, collaboration and fun that filled the workshops.

At Miracle, we want to help young people develop practical skills and gain a deeper understanding of how theatre is made. Working alongside our professional theatre-makers gives participants the opportunity to learn from people active in the industry, explore different creative roles and discover where their own interests and talents might take them.

The week concluded with a special one-day taster session for children aged 8-12, led by costume designers Jude Munden and Alice King. Inspired by the trolls in Miracle’s summer production of Peer Gynt, the workshop invited the children to bring their own extraordinary characters to life.

The children threw themselves into making, creating and playing, developing their own characters and costumes along the way. It was joyful to see so many inventive ideas take shape and the enthusiasm with which everyone joined in.

Programmes like this demonstrate the value of creative opportunities for young people. Theatre workshops are not only about performance: they provide a safe, supportive environment where young people can try something new, find their voice, make friends and grow in confidence.

We are grateful, as always, to The Poly for hosting the programme and for its continued support. We greatly value our relationship with this much-loved Falmouth venue and look forward to finding more ways to work together.

We would love to offer more workshops and make them accessible to as many young people as possible. In particular, we hope to provide more funded places so that cost does not prevent children and teenagers from taking part.

We are currently fundraising to continue running the Miracle Young Company, giving more young people the opportunity to be creative, build confidence and experience the joy of making theatre.