THE GARDEN of the Brontë Parsonage Museum provided an atmospheric setting as young actors performed scenes from Wuthering Heights.

Members of the National Youth Theatre were in Haworth to present a rehearsed reading of Stephanie Street’s stage adaptation of Emily Brontë’s classic novel.

The visit was part of a special day to celebrate the NYT’s 50th year of commissioning new plays.

Teenage actors are recruited every year from across the country and many have gone on to professional careers on stage and screen, including Dame Helen Mirren, Daniel Craig, Sir Derek Jacobi and Hugh Bonneville.

Young directors and actors presented scripts at 50 locations across the country, including a furniture shop in Finsbury Park, the National Centre in Leicester, the Houses of Parliament and the Calais Refugee Aid Distribution Warehouse.

In Haworth, Wuthering Heights had been prepared by local girl Beccie Allen.

She said: “This is my first time helping to produce and direct so it has been a massive learning curve, from arranging cast to locations and costume ideas.

“What has been amazing is finding so many like minded young performers from all over Yorkshire who were full of passion and excitement for the reading to go ahead.”

Paul Roseby, NYT Artistic Director and Chief Executive, said he was delighted to see the entrepreneurial young ‘creatives’ from the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain simultaneously stage 50 plays in 50 weird and wonderful locations.

He said: “In 2017 we celebrate our growing diverse young membership by marking 50 years of new writing as the first youth theatre in the world to commission youth theatre plays.

“I’m forever emboldened and humbled in equal measure when meeting and engaging with our stand-out talent from right across the UK.

“At a time of great social and economic uncertainly as a national organisation it is our moral and ethical responsibility to reach out to those who need us most.”

Rebecca Yorke, Head of Communications and Marketing at the Bronte Parsonage Museum said she was delighted to host the National Youth Theatre.

She said: “We are always seeking ways to engage with young people and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to both support an important initiative and promote the legacy of the Bronte family.”