Riverside Studios Reveals Details of Inaugural Bitesized Awards and Young Critics Programme

Riverside Studios has announced that they will be launching the Bitesize Awards and the new Riverside Young Critics Programme in celebration of their Bitesize Festival, which returns this summer with the largest programme in its history.

From stand-up and musicals to drama and dance, the festival offers a taste of something new for everyone.

The categories for the inaugural awards are: Most Entertaining Bite, Most Thought-Provoking Bite, Most Innovative Bite, The Writers' Bite, The Directors' Bite, the Young Critics' Bite and the Audience's Bite. The winners of the Bitesize Awards will be announced during the final day of this year's Festival - Saturday 29 July.

Programme highlights for this year's Festival include Taskmaster star Ivo Graham's work in progress presentation of his new stand-up show; the return of the multi-award-winning play Bacon, an unflinching and humorous look at masculinity, sexuality and power; BBC New Voices Winner and founder of Guardian recommended Weapons of Mass Hilarity, Jenan Younis presents an hour of new material; Mark Glentworth presents SEVEN and a half YEARS, an award-winning autobiographical musical about him composing the world-famous percussion piece Blues for Gilbert; and Run To The Nuns, a new, queer musical set in a fictional Nunnery.

Creative Director Rachel Tackley said of today's announcement, “These awards will give us an opportunity to celebrate both the 'best in show' of this year's Festival but also to champion all of our artists, collaborators and contributors.”

The Awards will be judged by both a specially selected panel (including audience members, industry experts and members of the Riverside Team) as well as participants in the new Riverside Young Critics programme.

Applicants are invited to join the panel via rsvp@riversidestudios.co.uk (REF BITESIZE AWARDS PANEL) where they should say, in under 200 words, why they would like to join the panel.

The new Riverside Young Critics Programme will also launch with this year's Bitesize Festival. Riverside Studios are looking to assemble an eight-strong group of 18–25-year-old theatre and arts enthusiasts who are keen to forge a path in enjoying and writing about theatre and the performing arts.

The Riverside Young Critics will be offered 2 tickets per production, and they will be expected to submit a short review of at least 6 productions that they see (which will be published on the Riverside website).  They will also gather together to consider the Young Critics' Bite Award, on the penultimate day of the Festival.

Riverside also plans to provide a number of 'meet and greets' with participants and various members of the critical world, so that they can get some unique insight into their own critical journey, as part of the programme.

Applications to become a participant in the programme are invited from Friday 9 June and will close on June 22nd (via rsvp@riversidestudios.co.uk (REF YOUNG CRITICS).  Applicants should write a short (50-100 words) application of why they want to be a member of the Riverside Young Critics and tell them about a show that they particularly enjoyed recently, and why. 

Executive Director Tony Lankester said, “Riverside Studios has long-standing track record of developing young talent in all its facets.  This time we're keen to encourage those who might find themselves writing about our work one day. We hope they write something nice!