Comedy night launch for new theatre

Teenagers from North Walsham will this month mark the launch of a new venture organising and promoting events for young people in their town with a stand-up comedy night.

Flying High Promotions was set up by Hayley Wild and friend Becky Denmen, both aged 16, in response to a project they had to do for their BTEC in drama at North Walsham High School.

After completing the task - which was to set up and promote and event - and finishing high school, the pair decided to carry on and have since gained backing from Creative Arts East, the Arts Council and the county council.

Hayley, now studying child care at Norwich City College, said: 'We asked our old deputy head teach if there was anyway we could be involved again and he put us in contact with Creative Arts East.'

Now with five members - having recruited Leo Jupp, 18, Kerry Will, 17, and Briony Kemp, 16 - Flying High Promotions is set to stage its first event on November 25.

Taking place at North Walsham High School, the stand-up comedy night will feature five London-based performers from the Laughing Horse Comedy Club - whose past members have included Jimmy Carr and former Never Mind the Buzzcocks presenter Simon Amstell.

Hayley, the group's chairman, said the teenagers had chosen a comedy night for their first event in the hope it would draw a large audience of entertainment-starved townsfolk.

The 16-year-old said: 'There's nothing like this in North Walsham. People can come and have a laugh - it's fun for everybody. We want to increase community awareness of the arts in North Walsham, to get young people to be interested in it.'

The group has signed a contract with Creative Arts East which will allow them to put on two shows a year - with any loss covered by the arts charity.

But Hayley said she the group, which is applying for grants from other organisations, hoped the comedy night would be successful enough to help fund other events.