TALENT from a cross-section of cultures in the Redbridge community will feature in a multi-lingual performance at the Redbridge Drama Centre in South Woodford.

The drama, dance and music production featuring eight languages is entitled, Are you talking to me?, and features actors from schools in Ilford and Seven Kings as well as women from the Redbridge Disabled Women's Network (DAWN).

They have been working on the project with professional actors, costume designers, a director and choreographer since May, thanks to a £15,000 grant from the Arts Council England.

Drama officer Johnny Siddall, from the Churchfields based centre, who has been working with the group, said: "The play is really about telling stories and how stories change. Young people are doing their own version of Romeo and Juliet, and the women from DAWN are telling stories through video, and live performance."

Keith Homer, head of the Redbridge Drama Centre, said the performance in their Lovegrove Theatre on November 18 is only the tip of the iceberg.

"The legacy is the project," he said. "It is the first thing like this that we have done, and the most important thing for me is that the drama service is accessing other areas of the borough, outside of Wanstead, Woodford and Snaresbrook.

"It's cross-generational, multi-lingual, multi-ethnic, with people from all over, and I hope the project will demonstrate to people that the drama centre is not simply about Woodford."

As it is the only drama centre in the borough, Mr Homer hopes the project will draw in even more members after the performance.

Every Thursday night is theatre night at the centre, and there are 100 seats for professional productions touring the country and tickets from £5.

l For full listings log on to www.redbridgedramacentre.co.uk, call 8504 5451, or stop in at the centre in Churchfields, South Woodford.