Bess

Leventhorpe Performing Arts presents a KS3 Production of

Bess

by kind permission of the author

...or how a girl along with three friends and a parrot charters a ship to find the man she loves

Based on Thomas Heywood’s Fair Maid of the West Translated by Leo Kalovyrnas With original music written by Will Sarjeant Wednesday 26th June Thursday 27th June 2024 7pm

Xenia Kalogeropoulou

Director’s Note Synopsis

Back in the 1600’s in Plymouth, Bess is a hardworking young lady who loves a young sailor named Spencer. With his help, she opens her own tavern which she runs with her best friend Freddy. Spencer travels all the way to Africa following the Queen’s orders. When he doesn’t return and she receives news that he is dead, she refuses to believe it, so she comes up with a plan. She gets dressed as a captain, charters her own ship and along with her friends she embarks on a journey to find the man she loves. On the way to Africa, Bess and her friends – including her trusted talking parrot – face many swashbuckling adventures! Even worse, they become captive to the mean King Azelah and his assistant Suleiman. Will Bess get out of a forced marriage and reunite with the man she loves?

Will the power of love triumph in the end?

Xenia Kalogeropoulou revolutionised children’s theatre in the 1980’s in Greece with her timeless themes of love, loss and adventure. Her young heroes embark on challenging and dangerous journeys, making her stories the ideal choice for self-discovery, transformation and personal growth.

In a world where social media seems to dominate our children’s every moment, drama and theatre can help reignite their creativity and imagination giving them purpose and meaning. With the power of storytelling, young people can reinvent themselves through inspiring and healthy narratives. Audiences are encouraged to reflect upon their own experiences of challenges in the real world.

Despite having written this play in 1989, Xenia Kalogeropoulou’s character of Bess continues to empower us with her resilience and determination in the face of adversity. I am therefore thrilled to see our students embracing this play.

However, the production of Bess would not have been possible without all the lovely people that create Leventhorpe’s tight-knit community from students, parents, guardians and teachers to caretakers, administration and catering staff so I would like to thank everyone for all their support, it is highly appreciated! I am also grateful to the Performing Arts team Mr Will Sarjeant, Miss Lucy Miller, Miss Liz Ball and Mr Conan Kavanagh for their continued enthusiasm, support and ideas throughout the planning and preparation for this show.

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to wholeheartedly thank Xenia Kalogeropoulou for kindly giving us permission to produce her beautiful play.

Now let’s celebrate the power of storytelling and the magic it brings to our lives! We hope you enjoy the show...