Jigsaw Arts Balham takes to the stage at Theatre Peckham
Jigsaw Performing Arts School Balham are heading to Theatre Peckham in South London. Our brilliant youth theatre students have been invited to perform as part of the prestigious National Theatre Connections 2026 festival at Theatre Peckham on Friday 27 March at 7pm.
National Theatre Connections is a nationwide programme that brings together youth theatre companies from across the UK. Each group performs a brand new play written especially for young performers by leading playwrights. For students, it offers a unique chance to experience professional theatre while developing confidence, creativity and teamwork along the way.
For our Balham cast, this opportunity is an exciting step onto a professional stage. They have been working hard in rehearsals and are looking forward to sharing their work with a live audience in a real theatre setting. We are incredibly proud of the commitment, enthusiasm and teamwork our students have shown throughout the rehearsal process.
The play: Ride or Die
Jigsaw Arts Balham will perform Ride or Die by Florence Espeut-Nickless, a fast paced and brilliantly relatable story about friendship, family and the unpredictable adventures of growing up.
The story centres around a year long debate between a group of friends who are determined to answer one important question. Is Alton Towers actually better than Thorpe Park? The score is currently tied. Alton Towers has two votes and Thorpe Park has two votes. The deciding vote belongs to the youngest member of the group, Angel. The problem is that Angel has not visited either theme park yet. As a Year 7 student, Angel has not been on the famous Theme Park Extravaganza school trip. That is about to change in two weeks’ time, when the trip is finally scheduled. The group believe the debate will finally be settled. What follows is a series of chaotic events. Angel is suspended from school, Nan goes away on an unexpected holiday and Dad attempts to take charge with mixed results. Before long the children have borrowed Nan’s car and collided with a Waitrose delivery van. The adventure quickly spirals into a truly unforgettable evening. Full of humour, energy and heart, Ride or Die captures the excitement and uncertainty of growing up while giving young performers a fantastic platform to bring bold characters to life on stage.
A fantastic opportunity for young performers
Taking part in National Theatre Connections is an incredible experience for young actors. The programme gives youth theatre companies the chance to rehearse professionally written scripts and perform them in theatres across the country.
Experiences like this help young people develop confidence, resilience and a deeper understanding of theatre. Students gain valuable experience performing in front of new audiences while working together as a company to create something they can be proud of.
Our Balham cast have been rehearsing with real dedication during their performing arts classes at Jigsaw. Watching them grow in confidence and creativity throughout the process has been a joy for the teaching team.
We would love friends, families and theatre lovers from across South London to come along and support our talented young cast as they take to the stage.
Join us at Theatre Peckham
Performance date: Friday 27 March 2026
Time: 7pm
Venue: Theatre Peckham
Tickets can be booked here:
https://www.theatrepeckham.co.uk/show/britneys-lock-ride-or-die/
Tickets are limited so we recommend booking early to avoid missing out on this exciting performance.
We cannot wait to see our Jigsaw Balham performers bring Ride or Die to life on stage.