Being a teenager is difficult; subjected to the pressures of looking beautiful, learning about sex, getting the best grades, repelling the bullies, keeping safe from objectionable online influences. It is through the arts that issues such as these can sometimes be best challenged and explored.

This is admirably done in ‘I’m A Minger’ which performs at the Millennium Forum for one show only on Thursday 16^th September at 10.30am. It is a funny and moving play which asks tough questions about the rise in suicide as a ‘life’ choice for teenagers today, as it follow 14-year-old Katie in her battle against the bullies and her search for love.

We watch as Katie struggles to make sense of a world that promotes size 0; in which many teenagers experiment with self harm and worse. How internet chat rooms conceal a disturbing world of anger, sadness and pain for many teenagers.

Produced by Nicholas Collett Productions in association with The Belgrade Theatre Coventry, ‘I’m A Minger’ is written and performed by Alex Jones, who explains his impetus for the production:

“I saw a newspaper article about a young girl who had committed suicide because of bullying. She thought she was fat, but when you saw her picture in the paper, she was an ordinary girl and didn’t look at all overweight. I have a daughter, and have watched her struggle with life. I didn’t want to write about my daughter or of the poor girl from the paper, but about how tough life is for all young girls today – the peer pressure, the pressure to pass exams, issues of weight, beauty, friendships, self-esteem. I hope this play will be a unique and challenging way to address some of these issues.”

The production can be used directly for GCSE and A Level Drama/Theatre Studies as well as for English and CPSHE. It also links with RE/RS and Art & Design.

We advise that this 70-minute production is suitable for people aged 14 years and upwards as it contains very strong language and issues such as eating disorders, self harm, sex and suicide. An education resource pack is available on request which links to Key Stages 4 and 5.

Tickets for ‘I’m A Minger’ at the Millennium Forum on Thursday 16^th September at 10.30am are currently on sale at Box Office, Tel: 028 7126 4455, priced at £4.50, buy 10 tickets get the 11^th free. To request the ‘I’m A Minger’ education resource pack Tel: 028 7127 2776. We look forward to taking your booking for this informative youth education production.

For further details log onto http://www.imaminger.com