A reworked version of the acclaimed Australian play ‘Kingswood Kids’ has been premiered at schools in Rockhampton and Yeppoon this week.

Rebadged as ‘The Hoods’, and reworked for middle school audiences, the play examines the impact of poverty on children and families.

The play was reworked with help from performing arts students at Central Queensland University, in conjunction with the original ‘Kingswood Kids’ production team of Angela Betzien and Leticia Caceres.

CQU drama lecturer Howard Cassidy said the original dark, adult text had been developed for audiences of upper-primary and lower-secondary school students.

He said a touring production version of the play would eventually be presented by two actors playing multiple roles, to make it cost-effective.