Teenage Wildlife Wombwell

Teenage Wildlife Wombwell
Filmed by John Slemenseck | Studio Bokehgo, 2024
Teenage Wildlife is an oral history project from Barnsley Civic, collecting and celebrating stories of youth culture and teenage experience in Barnsley over 80 years.
The project started life in 2021 with stories and photographs being collected from the Eldon Street area of central Barnsley. Out of that project came exhibitions, publications including poetry and magazines, and an original piece of young person led theatre.
We worked creative practitioners Becky Newbould and Gemma Whelan (aka We Great Ladies) and young people from around Barnsley to bring to life the real stories of six teenagers from Barnsley’s past.
In September 2023, as Barnsley Civic’s community engagement work moved into Wombwell, we started collecting Wombwell based stories, going as far back as the 1940s.
With project and stories in hand, we approached Netherwood Academy and were kindly invited to collaborate with the school’s Year 10 GCSE Drama cohort. Once again, We Great Ladies and our group of fourteen young theatre makers, created a series of monologues inspired by the very real stories of nine former Wombwell teenagers.
Starring; Bogdan Agrosoae, Aston Brittan, McKenzie Ferniss, Amelia Gilpin, Dan Jebson, Evie Kilner, Grace Mitchell, Joel Mosley, Grace North, Blerton Nuredini, Mileigh Pancott, Ramsey Winfield, Dominic Winnard-Orrell and Campbell Wroe.
Together, our cast tell the stories of June, Sheila, Denise, Vanesse, Kate, Sandra, David, Mark and Matthew. Thank you to all of those people for sharing your stories and trusting us with them.
Project Managed by We Great Ladies and Barnsley Civic.
Written by Gemma Whelan.
Art Direction and Costumes by Becky Newbould.
Live stage sound and lighting by Sam Aukland and DJ.
Oral histories collected by Gemma Geldart and Jason White.
A special thanks to Jamie Utley, Netherwood Academy and the Wombwell & District Amateur Operatic Society for their continued support.
Supported by Arts Council England.