Dame Judi Dench lends her support to West End theatre project set up to tackle cyber bullying

The project aims to tackle issues around young people and technology
Digital lives: Dame Judi Dench backs the project to tackle cyber bullying
Anthony Harvey/Getty Images

Dame Judi Dench has lent her support to a theatre project set up to help young people who are affected by cyber bullying.

The Theatre Royal Haymarket Masterclass Trust are working with the anti-bullying charity Kidscape on a project called Cyberscene. The outcome of the project will see students from South Thames College, Leyton Sixth Form College, Hackney Community College and Barnet and Southgate College create a play exploring the impact of technology, social media and cyber bullying.

They say the project was prompted by research that 87% of 16-24 year olds have access to the internet on their mobiles, and can spend three hours a day on social media alone. If it is changing the way that we behave socially, we need to ensure that young people are equipped to deal with the skills need for this rapid adaptation.

Dame Judi, who is a patron of the Masterclass Trust, said that she was delighted to lend her support to the project, which would “harness the power of theatre to bring together a community of young students to address the issues associated with cyber bullying.”

A workshop for Cyberscene

Cyberscene takes place ahead of Anti-bullying Week, which runs from November 14-18. Also involved are director Guy Unsworth and writer Emily Jenkins, who will script the the play through a series of theatre-based workshops. A final production will be staged at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in March 2017.

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