A MIDDLE Eastern drama group is giving £500 to a theatre group for inspiring them onto the stage.

Kuwait English School’s (KES) Green Theatre was founded in March 2007 by Jenny Dunne, then a 16-year-old drama student from the UK.

She says she was inspired by the philosophy of theatre group Chickenshed, which welcomes everyone regardless of differences or disabilities.

She said: "Chickenshed set us on a journey to create our own inclusive performing arts environment for students from both the mainstream and special sectors. We wanted to give students the opportunity of meeting and working together when previously they might have been kept apart."

KES Green Theatre started with 36 students, and after two months they performed The Lion King.

By the following year, more than 60 senior school students took part in The Lord of The Rings, The Musical, and the group expanded to include two new groups for infants and juniors consisting of around 20 students each.

The two groups now collaborate, with KES taking part in Chickenshed’s production of Seachange last year, and it is hoped the Kuwaiti group will take part in the Southgate-based theatre’s 35th anniversary production in November this year.

KES will visit Chickenshed on Friday, August 9, in time for the performance of the latest Chickenshed Children's production, The One and Only Double Bill Trilogy Quartet, and present the cheque at 2pm.

Founded in 1974 by Mary Ward and Jo Collins in a disused chicken shed in Cockfosters, the company was created to give youngsters, without professional theatrical training, the chance to get involved in the performing arts.

Unlike most theatrical companies, Chickenshed, which is also a registered charity, is based on the principle that anyone who loves performing should be able to do so, regardless of whether they have attended stage school and it is this ethos that underpins the entire project.

Linda Foley, Chickenshed programme manager, said: “The concept behind Chickenshed is to provide kids from all backgrounds and abilities the opportunity to work with a company that produces theatrical and musical productions.

“We have our one theatre in north London but we also have 19 outreach projects around the UK.

"We even have two in Russia, one in St Petersburg and one in Moscow, which were set up by people who originally started at one of the London sheds."