With Leeds Grand Youth Theatre’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory fast approaching at the end of the month, we’re celebrating Chocolate Day by hearing from some of our LGYT cast about their favourite parts of LGYT. And, as a bonus, we’re looking back at a recent sweet project that made waves in Leeds…
Written by the Learning and Engagement team
Dylan and Otis
For the uninitiated, Leeds Grand Youth Theatre is a theatre group for young people aged 8-18 that meets weekly during term time at Leeds Grand Theatre. As well as developing skills through activities, games and workshops, our Youth Theatre produces an annual musical to be performed at City Varieties Music Hall. This year, the talented bunch of young people is presenting their 12th full-scale musical – Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
With a matter of weeks until the show, Dylan from Group Three and Otis from Group One sat down to chat about the process, and to discuss their favourite parts of attending LGYT. This year, Otis has been exploring roles off-stage including props, and Dylan has been volunteering with Group One while also rehearsing for his role as Mr. Teavee! Watch the interview now, or read the transcript below!
Dylan: Hi, I’m Dylan, and I’m in Group Three.
Otis: Hi, I’m Otis, and I’m in Group One.
Dylan: Today we’re going to be doing a little interview about what it’s like at Youth Theatre so, I’ll go first. Otis, what do you like about performing in a theatre?
Otis: Well, personally, I like being in the wings, watching the people watching the show. And that’s fun, because I can see – if there’s a funny scene – I can see them laughing. And you could get to see the show itself!
My question is; What is it like in Group Two and Three?
Dylan: It’s a lot more work than Group One, because you also do a lot of improvising, and you do a lot of team exercises, so you really get to know everyone. So it’s really fun… And you also get a larger part in the show, which is a nice bonus.
What’s your favourite thing about Group One?
Otis: Well the games, really, yeah. So when we’re not practising for a show, leading up to it, we usually just improv, we play games, singing – I like that stuff.
Dylan in Little Shop of Horrors. Credit: Chris Coote
Dylan: And on that note, what is your favourite drama game that you do?
Otis: The cupcake game, where we have to get the cupcake and bring it back to the other side. I love that game. And Building a Shed.
Dylan: Classic.
Otis: What do you do outside of Youth Theatre?
Dylan: So I do a lot of acting outside of Youth Theatre as well. And I’ve got an agent, so I do a lot of auditions. And school, which is lovely.
Otis: Have you got any major roles?
Dylan: Mr Teavee’s the best one so far, I think. And then Customer last year [in Little Shop of Horrors] was a classic.
What are you looking forward to about Group Two?
Otis: Well, more acting. I like improv, because improv is really fun, because you can make up your own script.
How long have you been acting, and why?
Otis in Little Shop of Horrors. Credit: Chris Coote
Dylan: I started doing Stagecoach when I was in Year 3, which was really fun. And then, in Year 7, joined here, and that’s pretty much it. And I just really enjoy it, and I remember going to the theatre with my family for the first time and I was like ‘I want to be doing that,’ you know? And every time I go to a show, I’m like ‘I want to do that when I’m older.’
Otis: Do you have any hobbies – acting, football?
Dylan: I’ve tried football, but it’s not really my thing, to be honest. So, obviously, I do acting, dancing, singing. I also really like keeping houseplants, which is my little hobby, because I saw online that they’re really good for air, and I really like having clean air in my bedroom. So I’ve got a whole jungle in my bedroom.
Otis: So, what was your first show?
Dylan: My first show was Imaginary. And it was really fun. This was my first time doing it, and I didn’t know what it was going to be like, and I was a little bit nervous. But I had all my friends, and it was one of the best things.
Do you have any hobbies, apart from acting, outside of school?
Otis: Well, outside of school… I obviously do school. So, I do kickboxing, jiu-jitsu, and football. Yeah, that’s it really.
Dylan: My friend does jiu-jitsu!
Otis: Yeah, jiu-jitsu’s really fun!
A confectionary mystery
You may remember a past blog investigating Leeds’ history with chocolate, about the old chocolate factory that used to sit just a stone’s throw away. Combined with the excitement for our upcoming show, we ran a drama group called The Vanishing Factory for ages 8-12, taking inspiration from this local history and celebrating the weird and wonderful story of Charlie Bucket, which met weekly at Leeds Grand Theatre from March – June 2025 – a historical companion piece to be performed in the run-up to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Learning and Engagement Officer Andrew hosted a performance at Kirkgate Market with an inventive cast of young people, who brought their ‘Vanishing Factory’ story to life, inspired by the chocolate history of Leeds.
Andrew says, “The Vanishing Factory was inspired by Charlie and the Chocolate Factory but deliberately grounded in a more local and historically rooted story. The project’s aesthetic and narrative drew on the vanished Thorne’s Cocoa Works in Leeds and the silent melodrama tradition. The core idea revolved around a fictional evil twin, Renley Thorne, returning to ruin his brother’s reputation and destroy the factory’s chocolate stock. The children explored this story through physical theatre, mime, and ensemble sequences, all underscored by live piano in a silent film style.
The performance took place in the open public space at Kirkgate Market. It was framed as a silent film, with live piano underscoring and intertitles, and included group tableau, comic chase scenes, and choreographed mime sequences.
From the beginning, this wasn’t just about making a performance for the market space. It was about creating a community — a group of children who felt confident, connected, and part of something joyful.”
Hear below about the project from Andrew, and some of the young people involved!
Parents and passersby were abuzz after the performance, with lots of thoughts and feelings successfully stirred up: “It felt a little like a travelling show — something fun and odd that appeared out of nowhere, made people smile, and vanished again.”
“It was great to see all the children so expressive and happy to be there. This was [my child’s] first time in a theatre group, she absolutely loved it and looked forward to each session.”
“We’re so glad to know [our child has] been able to contribute meaningfully and be part of such a supportive and creative group.”
