A musical delving into the world of teenagers who become caught up in crime was taken to the professional stage by Lambeth youngsters.
Don’t Believe the Hype, written by the young people from Lambeth Council’s Pyramid Youth Centre, was performed at the Rich Mix arts centre in Bethnal Green earlier this month.
The musical maps the journey of five young people who live their lives through false identities due to peer pressure, and as a result become trapped in a life of street crime.
Cerise Reid, 21, said: "The work we do brings out the best in us. We came to the Pyramid Youth Centre to enjoy and achieve and that is what we have done."
Kitwana Tchetab, project manager at Pyramid Youth Centre, said the production was well received and the group had been booked again by Rich Mix organisers to come back next year.
The youth centre, which works with vulnerable young people at risk of exclusion from school, is also looking for other venues for the musical to be performed.
For more information on activities for young people aged 11-24 at Pyramid Youth Centre, go to younglambeth.org or call Kitwana on 07534 211949.
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