TEENAGERS from Swindon performed a moving play about mental health at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Students aged 14 to 18 from Pauline Quirke Academy Swindon spent five days delivering monologues and acting in distressing scenes about bullying, suicide and other issues in front of a live audience of festival-goers.

The performers taped themselves to lampposts with tape over their mouths in an attention-grabbing attempt to promote New York City playwright Bradley Hayward’s show I Don’t Want To Talk About It.

Leah Plumb, 16, said: “‘I feel so close to the play as I can relate to a lot of the topics it touches on. I was really excited to perform it.”

Katherine Howell, 14, called it “a dream come true” and Connor Salmon, 14, said performing there was a “once in a lifetime chance”.

Jack Thompson, 17. said: “It was great to tackle fun and comical characters while challenging relevant issues at the same time.”

Principal Dee Thompson directed the cast. She said: “They are an exceptionally talented cast of young actors and the show was a must-see.

“It was very gritty and tackled some really serious issues. They performed it in such a strong and powerful way.

“It was an amazing experience for them, something completely different, and we all had a great time. I would love to go back.”