TALENTED young writer Katie Smith who, though still at school, won one of the three top awards in a Festival of New Playwriting last year is staging her new play Moon Carpet at the Maltings Art Theatre on Sunday.

It concerns six young people, showing them age from Year 7 to Year 13, and how people and their attitudes towards each other and society change over time.

Written, directed, performed and produced entirely by young people, the cast and crew features students from St Albans Girls School (STAGS), Beaumont and St Albans School.

Famous Island, Katie’s prize-winning play in the under-25s category the Festival of New Writing at the Abbey Theatre, was about a secret tropical haven for the rich and famous who wanted to escape their lives and the limelight.

Katie, who is in Year 11 at STAGS, commented: “Although I really enjoyed writing and directing that play, this time round I wanted to focus on my own age group, because I think very little playwriting is targeted at teenagers. I didn’t want to put across any anti-this anti-that messages, I just wanted to write an honest view on growing up in an average society.”

Moon Carpet can be seen at 8pm at the St Albans theatre and tickets are �12.50 with concessions �7.50.

Go to www.maltingsartstheatre.co.uk for details on how to book or contact the St Albans Tourist Information Centre in person or on 01727 864511.