kes. Mikey Cook Right Up Our Street, in association with
and Ryan Harston to get the best out of
piece, which creates a rich tapestry as the
Cast, will be presenting a new adaptation
what we know is such a rich and varied
backdrop of Kes, and adds a hint of real-
of Barry Hines’ Kes this September. After
community, and it’s been interesting to say
life, small-town living. Two members of the
the success of last year’s The Glee Club,
the least! I’ve been constantly on the phone
community ensemble have been given the
we’ve got a hard act to follow, but as we
to agents day-to-day, seeing in the region
opportunity to take on the large speaking
near the start of rehearsals, all the cogs
of 70 professional actors and performers,
roles of MacDowell and Tibbut, so they’ll be
are turning together to help us bring this
and even traveling down to London in the
called full-time along with the professional
much-loved local novel into a new and
early hours of the morning to hold some
company. This really is a project with
daring form.
auditions, only to realise that I didn’t have
masses of opportunity for everyone
enough scripts with me, and spending over
involved. We’ll all be working together
Here's the first in our series of blogs from
an hour running around North London
quite closely in the next couple of months
Mikey Cook, the Production Assistant for
trying to find any internet café or copy
to create what I know will be something
Kes, on organising, casting, producing, and
shop that could help. I’d be lying if I said
spectacular. So watch this space for more
pretty much everything you need to know
I didn’t love every second of it – even the
developments.
about how to stage a production of Kes in
challenging parts. Being in production
Doncaster.
meetings means that I’m immersed in a
The next steps for Kes at this stage, as I
world where people are true experts in their
said, are beginning professional rehearsals,
“So much has already happened this year
craft and it’s so refreshing to see all of that
with the community ensemble being called
in the making of Kes that I’m struggling
hard work seem so effortless, yet achieve
three times a week (all evenings and
to think of where to start. We’ve done a
such amazing results.
weekends) on top of that. I’d encourage
research and development week, made a
18
everyone to get involved in any way they
complete model box of the set, written a
Kully and Philip’s intention was to involve
can – Right Up Our Street and Cast are
draft script from scratch, and appointed a
as many members of the community
running masterclasses in ongoing skills
designer, a movement director, a lighting
as possible, creating a community
development for performers and artists,
designer, an assistant choreographer,
ensemble that will hopefully become a
and also a Friday Hangout for local artists
a sound designer, a composer, a stage
legacy which continues through Cast’s
from 4 o’clock on the last Friday of every
management team…the list is endless. So,
lifetime and evolves and grows along
month. Also, I hope that, by coming to see
as you might have now guessed, we’ve
with the programme of work. So that’s
Kes, it will inspire even more members of
been pretty busy. Full-time rehearsals for
what we’ve done. On Saturday 21 June
the community to get involved in theatre, in
the professional company of actors will
we held our recall, which was the first
whatever capacity that may be. We’ll see.”
begin on Monday 4 August, and I think
gathering of everyone involved in the
we’re all going to be in for a pretty intense
40-strong ensemble, and we had such
Follow experiences of Kes using
experience. My role as the production
an amazing time. It’s so great to see that
#KesDoncaster on Twitter. This is for
assistant means that I get experience of this
so many people want to take an active
everyone: actors, ensemble members, our
from many different angles.
part in the arts in Doncaster, and with
creative team, and you – our audience.
such enthusiasm and talent. There were
You can also tweet @RightUpRStreet @
My role more recently has focused on the
some truly magical moments during that
castindoncaster or @mikeycook92 to ask
professional casting, as well as the logistics
workshop, which has made us all so aware
us any questions you may have about
of creating a large community ensemble.
that these guys are such an important part
the show.
So far, I’ve been working closely with the
of what we’re trying to do. This community
show’s directors, Kully Thiarai and Philip
ensemble is going to take a role that I
Osment, to co-ordinate auditions, casting
believe is truly remarkable – we’re running
sessions and recruitment workshops. I’ve
character development sessions so that
also teamed up with Ava Hunt, Jow Rose
each member has a defined role in the
End