Young performers from PQA Exeter take to the West End stage in an action-adventure stage show
50 young performers from the Pauline Quirke Academy of Performing Arts (PQA) in Exeter took to the stage at London’s iconic His Majesty’s Theatre at the weekend to perform the stage show, ‘Across the Line’.
A highlight for PQA Exeter, the show is part of an ambitious series of 26 West End performances, featuring around 5,200 young people from across PQA’s nationwide network. Each performance brings together three academies. Performing alongside PQA Exeter on this occasion were young performers from PQA Loughborough and PQA Rugby.
Written by Will Brenton (best known for The Tweenies, Melody, and Coronation Street), ‘Across the Line’ is a bold, contemporary action-adventure stage show that draws inspiration from popular modern-day shows like ‘Stranger Things’.
Kati Jago, Principal of PQA Exeter notes, “The rehearsal process for our incredible young performers has been an extraordinary experience, one of incredible growth and watching our students come together as a strong, supportive team. This is a moment that we will cherish, celebrating the talent and unity of our PQA Exeter family.”
A standout feature of ‘Across the Line’ is its use of puppetry. In collaboration with Little Angel Theatre, PQA launched the No Strings Attached project, where the students gained hands-on experience with professional puppetry techniques. This initiative helped young performers develop dexterity, imagination and the technical understanding required to bring puppet characters to life on stage.
Adam Rowe, a PQA Exeter Parent shares, “Everybody was absolutely incredible! Well done to every single one of you! As a parent, I wasn’t only just proud of my little one but of every member of the PQA family for such a fantastic unforgettable night!”
Over 22 weeks of rehearsals, the young cast worked intensively on vocal technique, dance and movement, character development, stagecraft, ensemble work and performance confidence.
One young performer Beau, aged 11 comments, “Getting to perform at His Majesty’s theatre, the home of Phantom of the Opera, is honestly an amazing experience for someone like me who loves musical theatre! I will never forget this memory as it was the best day of my life being with my true friends and PQA family!”
Ashlie, aged 17 writes, “Performing Across The Line was one of the best experiences of my life. I would like to thank every single teacher at PQA Exeter for directing, choreographing, and keeping the energy high for the whole process of the rehearsals right up until show day and being every student's biggest cheerleader.”
Individuals also developed vital life skills such as communication, teamwork, concentration, coordination, and resilience, all while enjoying the unforgettable experience of performing in a professional theatre environment.
Made up of a team of industry professional teachers - including Kati Jago, Sofia Freeman, Jenna Church, Gordon Cooper and Rhianna Hayes, PQA is dedicated to providing a safe and inclusive space for young people to discover themselves whilst learning the latest techniques in performing arts. Performing arts isn’t just about singing and dancing, there are also opportunities for all young people to explore comedy, story writing, TV and filmmaking.
If you’re interested in booking your child a free trial session at your nearest PQA academy, please visit the PQA website at https://www.pqacademy.com/academies/exeter/.
