Film will target young drinkers (From Daily Echo)

Eastleigh theatre to hold auditions for DVD aimed at young alcohol abusers

11:30am Friday 18th March 2011 in News Exclusive By Simon Carr, Eastleigh Chief Reporter

Film will target young drinkers

A NEW countrywide attack on under-age drinking and alcohol abuse is being spearheaded in Hampshire.

A hard-hitting film showing the dangers of drinking will be rolled out to schools across the county and if successful will be used nationally and taught as part of the curriculum.

It will be made at The Point theatre and based on the experiences of teenagers from Eastleigh. Young people from the area will star in it.

The interactive DVD shows six friends at a party when alcohol is introduced, the choices they make and the devastating effect these can have, from being sick or acting badly to being injured, raped or even killed.

The theatre will be looking for 120 actors, actresses and extras to bring to life the project, written by award-winning scriptwriter Simon Eden.

Daniel Hill, youth theatre director, said: “It is an honour to be involved in putting together something so important that hopefully will be used nationally.

“As creative people we have to try to make this interesting.

“We don’t want young people to feel like they are being taught when they watch it.

“It has to be like a movie, it has to stand up as a piece of entertainment in its own right. We are not going to tell them not to drink, we are just going to show the consequences it can have in real life.”

The £11,000 funding came from Eastleigh Borough Council and Hampshire County Council.

Auditions are going to be held on March 26, with filming to begin in April and the roll out in September.

For more information call The Point on 023 8065 2333.