PHOTOS: Young people's cabaret night in Morecambe is resounding success

Monday, 27 March 2023 13:38

By Greg Lambert @greglam72

Young people performing at the Escape2Make Cabaret night

Young people from the Lancaster and Morecambe area put on their own cabaret night to entertain an enthralled audience with a wide range of acts.

Around 150 youngsters aged 11 to 18 worked for six weeks developing the show before performing it at the Alhambra in Morecambe on Saturday to 140 guests.

They also served a three-course meal and entertained audience members at their tables with their newly-learned skills.

The cabaret night team had honed their performances at a series of 53 different workshops organised by Lancaster youth charity Escape2Make.

On the night performances included stand-up comedy, live music, poetry, a film show, a mini-musical, an upcycled fashion show and even a magic act.

Audience members included county and city councillors, the mayor of Lancaster and representatives of local organisations, universities and businesses.

County Councillor Lizzi Collinge, who attended the cabaret, said: "It was absolutely amazing.

"I was so impressed, not only by the variety of acts, but the quality. To know this was all put together in five weeks and by the young people themselves, it was just amazing. I have had the best night!"

Lord Shuttleworth, Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire, who was also a guest, said: "I really enjoyed it, it's been great fun.

"There were one or two excellent poems, really quite moving.

"Every town in Lancashire needs something like this."

Escape2Make was set up to help all 11-18 year olds in the Lancaster and Morecambe area to escape from boredom, social media, loneliness and any pressure at school or home, by providing workshops and short courses hosted by local businesses, national businesses, local artists and university students.

All their workshops and courses are designed to help young people make things, make friends and make a difference in the community.

Workshops leading up to the cabaret night included fashion upcycling, stand-up comedy, poetry and songwriting, cartoon portraits, local cuisine, magic, wild cooking, filmmaking, mini-musical and Arabic desserts.

The food was prepared by a team of 20 who worked under the tutelage of local chef Ben Vandenbrink, herbalist Lesley Hoyle and Dr Suhir from Naba Arabic School in Lancaster.

At the end of the evening, a panel of young people spoke with Escape2Make chair Bill Kistler about what Escape2Make means to them.

They included members of an architecture group who have been working on designs for a new Escape2Make youth centre in Lancaster.