PERFORMING Arts students from Stockton Riverside College were invited on stage at the National Theatre, London, this week to put on Christopher William Hill's play, Multiplex.

The 16 to 19-year-old students were among 14 successful groups in the Shell Connections programme from the UK, Eire and Australia, chosen to perform one play from a roster of ten newly commissioned pieces by top contemporary writers.

More than 160 groups entered the programme - the world's largest celebration of youth theatre.

National Theatre staff were on hand to lend advice to directors on interpreting the plays.

Trevor Nunn, artistic director of the National Theatre, said of Shell Connections: "The commitment, flair and imagination of the young performers is matched by the extraordinary and demanding quality of the new plays they are presenting and the unique atmosphere they bring to the NT".

Multiplex is a fantasy of what lies in the sinister parallel world beneath the dimly lit auditoria and candy-coloured foyers of a multiplex cinema.

Director Clare Maxwell said: "It's such an honour having been chosen to perform at the National, everyone involved at the college is on a high. "Multiplex is a vibrant, contemporary piece that is funny, touching and dark. The 40 strong cast had a lot of fun re-creating memorable cinematic moments and exploring the fantasies portrayed in the movies."