WIREDGOV

Fans of the cult hit BBC3 series ‘Being Human’ and the Richard Curtis classic ‘Notting Hill’ are in for An Afternoon Less Ordinary when beauty meets the beast on stage at the Royal Court on 21 July at 4pm.

Actors Russell Tovey – George the werewolf from ‘Being Human’ and one of the original History Boys – and Gina McKee who played the lovely Bella in Notting Hill, are the first star names to be announced for a special event to celebrate A Night Less Ordinary, Arts Council England’s free theatre ticket scheme for under 26 year olds.

After a twenty minute performance – a reading of a new play by young playwright Anya Reiss - members of the audience will have the chance to mingle with the stars at an informal gathering in the theatre bar.

All tickets for the special event are available free to anyone under 26 by calling 0845 300 6200 and are sure to go fast. Lines are open Monday-Friday 9am – 5pm. Proof of age is required on collection and drinks are not included. You can log onto the website www.anightlessordinary.org.uk for more information.

The reading is part of a new play ‘Spur of the moment’ by Anya Reiss and is directed and produced by the Royal Court’s Deputy Artistic Director Jeremy Herrin.

Since its launch in February this year, A Night Less Ordinary has proved a massive hit, with venues around the country reporting a high demand for tickets from 16 – 25 year olds keen to try the live theatre experience for free.

The dedicated web site – www.anightlessordinary.org.uk – where free tickets can be selected and reserved, has received millions of hits and averages almost 7,000 visits a day. More than 3,500 young people have joined the A Night Less Ordinary Facebook group to discuss their theatre-going experiences and over 5,780 have signed up to receive e-news about the offer.

The scheme is being evaluated on a quarterly basis throughout its two year span and the results of the first three months – showing just how many young people have enjoyed free theatre visits – will be announced during the Royal Court event.

1. ‘A night less ordinary’ is an Arts Council England initiative supported by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. The initiative will provide 618,000 free theatre tickets for under 26 year olds in more than 200 venues across England, between February 2009 and March 2011.

2. Arts Council England works to get great art to everyone by championing, developing and investing in artistic experiences that enrich people’s lives.

As the national development agency for the arts, we support a range of artistic activities from theatre to music, literature to dance, photography to digital art, and carnival to crafts.

Great art inspires us, brings us together and teaches us about ourselves, and the world around us. In short, it makes life better.

Between 2008 and 2011, we will invest £1.3 billion of public money from government and a further £0.3 billion from the National Lottery to create these experiences for as many people as possible across the country.