Devizes student Beth Fiducia-Brookes enjoyed a taste of national theatre when she took part in a devised performance in Manchester at the end of August.

Beth, 19, from New Park Street, who is about to start a drama course at Warwick University, was chosen from thousands of applicants for the course run by the National Youth Theatre.

She said: “A friend of mine did it before so I thought I would have a go. “You had to register to audition. I auditioned in January but it was months before I heard I’d got in.”

The National Youth Theatre runs three courses for new members each year and they are hugely over-subscribed so Beth must have impressed the organisers in her audition to get through.

She said: “It was very intense. There were 200 of us on the course and we worked on an ensemble piece at Media City in Manchester loosely based on the story of Noah.

“The story is about this boy who knows there is a flood coming and tries to warn people, but no one will listen. “We worked in small groups on improvising scenes which were then put together for a final performance. It was very exciting and great fun. “I don’t know what I want to do after university. I am sorely tempted to try the professional theatre but I am also attracted by drama therapy.”

Beth has much experience in youth theatre around Devizes. She has appeared in several Wharf Youth Theatre productions including The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe and has regularly appeared at Devizes Junior Eisteddfod.

She got sponsorship for her course at the National Youth Theatre from the Theatre Royal Bath, which gave her four tickets for their forthcoming pantomime, Snow White. Beth is now raffling these to help cover her costs.