A CAST of young actors from Colchester have been working with some of the country's most exciting theatre companies for a new show about identity.

The Mercury Young Company working in partnership with Tamasha, The Belgrade Theatre and Pilot Theatre will be performing Half of Me as a companion piece to another of playwright Satinder Chohan’s plays, Made in India.

Satinder, who was last at the Mercury Theatre with her play KabaddiKabaddiKabaddi back in 2012, explores the often controversial world of IVF and surrogacy through two very different stories.

Made in India is a new play about motherhood and blood ties between women and nations set in a surrogacy clinic in Gujarat. The cast includes Gina Isaac, a familiar face at the Mercury for many years, alongside Syreeta Kumar and Ulrika Krishnamurti.

With support from Tamasha, the Mercury Young Company have worked on Chohan’s second script, Half of Me, a poetically-written piece about the often unheard experiences of young people born by Assisted Reproductive Technologies.

Assisted Reproductive Technology is the collective term for procedures such as fertility medication, in vitro fertilization and surrogacy.

Filiz Ozcan, the Mercury Theatre’s Participation and Young People’s Director and director of Half of Me, says: “Exploring this play with young people is such a fantastic opportunity. It gives a true insight into a rarely discussed topic, presents the challenges children born by ARTs might face and suggests how we can support them in the future.”

As part of the process the cast of 15 got to meet Satinder to discuss the many themes in her play.

Paisley Pascal, 23, is one of the young actors taking part in the show.

She adds: "It was brilliant to have the writer come in and talk to us about the journey of the production, especially as some of us have to play quite interesting characters with very different outlooks on Assisted Reproductive Technology.

Tom Campe, 19, who is also in the cast, says: "It's been a fascinating play to be involved with. Some of us have quite a few parts to play so it's also been a bit of a challenge."

Made in India will be performed in the Mercury Studio Theatre on February 24 and 25 at 8pm with Half of Me taking to the same stage on February 24 at 1pm and 6pm.

To book tickets call the box office on 01206 573948 or go on-line at www.mercurytheatre.co.uk. When booking tickets for Made in India, audiences will receive 50 per cent off Half of Me tickets.