Students from City of Westminster College (CWC) have been given the perfect platform to display their creative talents to a UK-wide audience.
As part of the prestigious Connections event run by the National Theatre, Level 3 Performing and Production Arts students will take to the stage to perform two plays on Thursday 23 March at the college’s Sarah Siddons Theatre as well as at the capital’s famous Lyric Hammersmith Theatre.
Connections is the Royal National Theatre’s nationwide youth theatre festival. Every year, it gives youth groups the opportunity to stage new plays written for young people. This year, they will have a choice of ten fantastic plays written by some of the UK’s most exciting writers.
This year’s plays the students could choose from were:
The CWC students will perform — Is My Microphone On? by Jordan Tannahill and Is This Good Enough? by Avaes Mohammad and will show off their considerable talents as well as do the playwrights justice with their versions of the much-heralded pieces.
Is My Microphone On? is a play in the form of a protest song, in which a chorus of young performers hold the audience to account inviting them to experience the world together anew. ‘Young people have inherited a burning world… questioning the choices that have been made, and the ones that they will yet be forced to make’.
Ethan, who is performing Is My Microphone On? said: “I’m really enjoying how we can welcome each other to experiment with new creative ideas.
“The main focus of the play is to do with the environment and everything that is going on in the world right now, which is really important to express to other people.”
While Andreyan, also part of the same production, added: “We don’t have to re-enact characters that were made before, we can be ourselves, deliver the lines however we want and dress up however we want, presenting a version of ourselves to the audience”.
“The play has a music element to it, so I’m playing the drums – in my opinion, this shows how creative this whole project is. We must make the music from scratch, which is challenging. We have to connect with each other to make things work and experiment with new things we have never done before.”
Avaes Mohammad’s Is This Good Enough? is a story about… ‘Young people from all over the city – the Rudeboys, the Party Girls, the Footballers, the Chess Players, the Skateboarders, the Drug Runners, and the Uniformed Schoolkids – converge on the park one cold winter’s night.
Aleesha, who is playing the role of Cyroe comments, “They have been summoned there by the mysterious and enigmatic Cyroe. All they do know is that when Cyroe calls, you answer. Working on this play makes me feel like I am preparing to work in a more professional environment”.
Avaes Mohammad’s scripts have chronicled post 9/11 multicultural Britain and represented the challenges of young people in the UK. He currently seeks to engage with the heritage of Islamic and Sufi literatures, reinterpreting them for contemporary western audiences.
Stephen Davis, Principal of United Colleges Group, said: “This is an exciting opportunity for our students to perform on a fantastic stage as part of the Connections 2023 Festival.
“Everyone at the college is very much looking forward to seeing their interpretations of two thought-provoking plays and we wish them well as they rehearse for the events.”
“My experience at College of Northwest London, has been exciting, it has been thrilling and it has been full of opportunities, and we have the tutors that help us whenever we’re in need. We go on educational trips to get a feel for what university life is like. We have the careers advisors that help us on our path, our university path.”
“The facilities here are brilliant. You have range of courses you can study. My teachers in the Performing Arts department have got history in the industry, which is very useful. You get to ask them for advice and actual knowledge from the industry, and take that into your own work within the college also afterwards. ”
“At City of Westminster College, my experience has been the best of all the other colleges I’ve attended. The reason I like CWC is because the teachers make my journey easier with assessment and exams. I’m a Level Two Science student and I enjoy my lessons because most of them are practical, which are helpful for me. I love studying at CWC because you meet people from other countries – all over the world and from all different communities.”
“My favourite thing about studying here has definitely got to be the teachers. They’re really helpful, kind and in the industry, so it’s good.”
“The technical knowledge and hands-on experience gained during my apprenticeship at College of North West London have been invaluable, particularly in understanding site processes, health and safety requirements and the understanding of electrical systems.”
“My experience studying at City of Westminster College has been amazing. It’s been so welcoming; I enjoy it very much because of the staff members we have here. They’re very approachable and I could come to them with any question, and it will be answered straight away. And if I come early for a class, I can use the Learning Resources Centre, I can use the computers, the books, just to continue all my studies outside the classroom time.”
“The training process was seamless. I had good instructors who were very flexible, supporting people of all learning levels. On the last day after our exams, a security company came and did a presentation. We had the opportunity to have an interview afterwards. I told them about my experiences, and they said I would be a good fit. I formally applied for a role and started with the company soon after. Getting into security has opened doors for me. I hope I will continue to take steps up the career ladder.”
“Coming to study at the City of Westminster College was the best decision that I had ever made. The teachers are very accommodating – they help you learn things in a way that might be easier for you to learn. They are very supportive and I think that’s one of the best things about learning here.”
“I was so grateful to have won Apprentice of the Year at the West London Business Awards 2026, I could not have done it without the support my company Size Group and the College of North West London.”
