Since Beverley’s East Riding Theatre opened its doors in December 2014 it has consistently delivered high quality drama, music and entertainment to the people of HU17 and beyond.
The ERT’s inaugural sell-out production and first Christmas show was “A Christmas Carol” in 2014 (adapted for the stage by international film and television actor and the Theatre’s Creative Director and co-founder Vincent Regan), with “Oliver Twist” following in 2015. These seasonal shows were tours de force showcasing exceptional talent including local actors. “Great Expectations” opens on Wednesday December 14th 2016 (until Saturday 7th January 2017) and completes a trilogy of Charles Dickens at the venue.
Stellar Cast
The stellar cast includes comedian and actor Stephen Frost (“The Oblivion Boys”, “12 Angry Men”, “Whose Line Is It Anyway?”) as the criminal fugitive Magwitch. He is joined by his wife, actress Janet Prince (“Murder, Margaret and Me”, “Pleasure Island”), who plays reclusive Miss Havisham, and by David Schaal (“The Office”, “The Inbetweeners”, “A Steady Rain”) as Jaggers.
Gritty and Dynamic
I recently had the opportunity to discuss the iterative and creative processes behind “putting on a show” with Vincent, Stephen, Janet and director Andrew Pearson. Nothing short of a theatrical miracle has been occurring in a makeshift rehearsal room above a coffee shop in Beverley’s Flemingate. Over three or four weeks of intense and pressured activity – rehearsals, edits, re-writes – the Dickens novel has been transformed into an atmospheric, gritty and dynamic production. “One of the challenges with Dickens is that you can do so much with it,’ offered Andrew. “We want this to be an honest adaptation, true to the spirit of the novel.”
Great Expectations is one of Dickens’ finest works and charts the fortunes of abused orphan Pip whose life is transformed after a chance encounter with Magwitch on Romney Marsh. “It’s an amazing piece of literature,” says Andrew, “and we’re thrilled to bring it to the ERT stage.” Stephen offered, “It’s Dickens’ biggest novel, his masterpiece” so it was no mean feat to deliver a two and a quarter hour adaptation suitable for a diverse Beverley audience with great expectations of their own. “So many people have seen previous plays, films and TV adaptations so will have their own interpretation of characters and events,” said Vincent.
He wanted to create an adaptation faithful to the dialogue, narrative and spirit of the novel. During months of research he re-read it and studied previous theatrical adaptations, making a point of not watching the famous 1946 David Lean film so he could deliver a unique and personal take on the story.
Beverley Homecoming
Husband and wife team Stephen and Janet have supported the ERT since its inception and first worked together thirty-eight years ago. “There is a great expectation for us to see how this goes,” said Janet. It’s a homecoming of sorts for her, born in Willerby and an alumnus of Beverley High School. “It’s so wonderful to be back on my home turf.” The couple worked together in Yorkshire in the 1970s at what was then the Humberside Theatre (Hull Truck.) “We’ve worked out how to work together after all of that time. We’ve buried the hatchet now and relish the opportunity of appearing together on stage again,” joked Stephen. (He also admitted to studying the novel at ‘A’ level in his late teens, and failing!)
Atmospheric and Evocative
So, what should we look forward to with this show? “We don’t really want to give much away,” admitted Vincent. “We’re keen to bring out the dark side of Victorian life,” said Stephen. “For kids it was tough. It was a cruel world. It was vicious.” Janet agreed: “That’s what Dickens captured so well. He was a critical social commentator.” I can hint that there will be some amazing sonic and visual treats in store, especially commissioned music and projected film to create the landscape, essence and atmosphere of Victorian England as the story transitions from swamp to urbane London society. “There will be an imaginative use of the stage with music, movement and dialogue. The projection creates an atmospheric and evocative sense of place,” says Andrew. “We have loads of surprises in store. It will be a spectacle for all ages to enjoy.”
“It may be Christmas, but we don’t want to turn Dickens into a pantomime.”
“We’re approaching it in a Brechtian way,” hinted Vincent. Stark costumes. Illuminated faces drawing the audience to the larger than life characters and their interactions. “It may be Christmas, but we don’t want to turn Dickens into a pantomime.”
Theatre Manager Sue Kirkman is keen that the East Riding Theatre will become “an artistic force to be reckoned with; regionally, nationally and internationally.” It’s well on its way to achieving this. “We may be a small venue but our ambition is huge.” Vincent noted that it was early days for the venue. “We’re still the new kids on the block, working to spread our tentacles and forge relationships with other theatres.” The ERT receives no public funding, relying on ticket sales, incoming shows and benevolent corporate sponsors to sustain its overheads. This makes its success all the more remarkable. The five-year plan for the ERT includes co-productions, youth theatre and the pursuit of Arts Council funding.
Meanwhile, the show goes on. “We’re thoroughly enjoying working here,” said Stephen. “A show with lovely people, in a lovely theatre, doing top-notch quality productions. This is a great place to be.”
So, with Christmas show number three bringing the Dickens trilogy to a close, is this the end of the line? “There’s a huge appetite for these Christmas shows in Beverley,” said Vincent. “You know what they say. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.” So what next? A Dickens quartet? “Bleak House”? “A Tale of Two Cities” perhaps? The choice is endless.
By Gary Horrocks, Arts & Culture Editor
