YOUNG thespians are preparing to tread the boards for the National Theatre Connections festival in Oxford.

The scheme, which organisers say is the “biggest youth theatre festival on the planet” will take over 26 theatres across the UK this year.

In Oxford, the festival comes to the North Wall Arts Centre in Summertown’s South Parade on Saturday, May 3 and Sunday, May 4. It will feature performances from the Oxford Playhouse/ Magdalen College School Young Company, Reading’s Berzerk Productions and Thame Youth Theatre.

The Thame company’s Charlotte Simonson, 14, plays eldest daughter Emma in family drama The Same.

Charlotte said: “I love playing this role as she is the eldest of the teenagers. It allows her to have a mothering role which is very fun to do.

“I have also really enjoyed the process of making our performance, and developing our characters with fun activities. We’re all very excited to perform in the North Wall and see all of our hard work pay off.”

Tickets cost £6 for each day and are available from thenorthwall.com s Find out more about the festival and what else is going on in the county at connections.

See connections.nationaltheatre.org.uk