Matthew Kelly Joins The Touring Consortium's Panel; KES Begins At the Liverpool Playhouse September 18

To coincide with their Autumn tour of Kes, The Touring Consortium is pleased to announce that Matthew Kelly will join Annabel Arden, Bryony Lavery, Paul Miller and Don Warrington, the Consortium's Artistic Panel, who with Producer Jenny King, are dedicated to satisfying a venue driven need for quality drama tailored to large theatre venues. The Touring Consortium, who has been awarded a National Touring Contract by the Arts Council England, comprises a group of UK theatres who annually co-produce one large-scale drama which tours England, Scotland and Wales supported by high quality curriculum-based education work. Kes is co- produced with Liverpool Playhouse and Everyman.

Matthew Kelly said: "Having toured with the Consortium in 2003 as Lenny in Of Mice and Men and been involved first hand in the accompanying education work that was offered alongside the production, I am thrilled to be joining the Artistic Panel and look forward to being involved in the planning for 2010. We were lucky enough to have performed to over 35,000 people and worked alongside over 30 schools and colleges with 7,000 young people. I hope we can achieve the same this year with our production of Kes which I am looking forward to seeing at Liverpool Playhouse, who are co-producing with us."

The Touring Consortium's production of Kes will open at The Liverpool Playhouse (18 September - 10 October) and then tour to Nottingham Theatre Royal (13 - 17 October), Darlington Civic Theatre (20 - 24 October), Edinburgh King's Theatre (27 - 31 October), Oxford Playhouse (2 - 7 November), Bradford Alhambra Theatre (10 - 14 November), Wolverhampton Grand Theatre (17 - 21 November) and Cardiff New Theatre (24 - 28 November).

Previously, The Touring Consortium has presented April De Angelis' adaptation of Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights starring Susannah York directed by Indhu Rubashingham, Oliver Goldsmith's She Stoops to Conquer starring Colin Baker and Liza Goddard directed by Jonathan Munby, Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird starring Duncan Preston directed by Michael Buffong, Bill Bryden's production of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet starring Su Pollard and Gerald Harper, Bryony Lavery's adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula starring Colin Baker, Jonathan Church's production of Arthur Miller's The Crucible starring Tony Britton, Bryony Lavery's adaptation of Ibsen's A Doll's House directed by Rachel Kavanaugh starring TAra Fitzgerald and Tom Goodman-Hill, Deborah Bruce's production of Ronald Harwood's Taking Sides starring Neil Pearson and Julian Glover, Kenny Ireland's production of Arthur Miller's A View From The Bridge starring Sorcha Cusack, Jonathan Church's production of Harold Brighouse's Hobson's Choice starring Tony Britton, Jonathan Church's production of The Diary of Anne Frank starring David De Keyser, Dale Wasserman's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest starring Mike McShane and Isla Blair. Jonathan Church's production of Of Mice and Men, following its tour, was produced by Jenny King, Matthew Gale and Bill Kenwright at the Old Vic and the Savoy Theatre's in the West End, winning Matthew Kelly the Best Actor Olivier Award for his portrayal of Lennie.

For further information on The Touring Consortium - www.touringconsortium.com

KES TAKES FLIGHT AT LIVERPOOL PLAYHOUSE

Kes, the bitter sweet story of one boy's love for the kestrel he trains, opens at The Liverpool Playhouse on 18 September, with press night on 20 September and final performance on 10 October. The Touring Consortium's 2009 co-production will then tour to Nottingham Theatre Royal (13 - 17 October), Darlington Civic Theatre (20 - 24 October), Edinburgh King's Theatre (27 - 31 October), Oxford Playhouse (2 - 7 November), Bradford Alhambra Theatre (10 - 14 November), Wolverhampton Grand Theatre (17 - 21 November) and Cardiff New Theatre (24 - 28 November).

Autumn tour at Lawrence Till's adaptation of the 1968 novel A Kestrel for a Knave will be directed by Nikolai Foster to coincide with the 40th anniversary of Ken Loach's BAFTA award-winning film Kes.

Young bullied Billy's only comfort is with the kestrel he finds, nurtures and trains. As Billy's relationship with the soaring bird grows, so too does his spirit and he soon discovers a whole new world beyond his backyard.

Taking the role of Billy Casper is Stefan Butler. Playing his supportive English teacher, Mr. Farthing, is Daniel Casey. Billy's Mum is played by Katherine Dow Blyton and Jud, his brother, is played by Oliver Farnworth. They are joined by David Crellin, Mike Burnside, Dominic Gately, Peter McGovern, Sue Vincent and Oliver Watton as well as children from local schools who will each be participating to recreate the atmosphere of Billy Casper's 1960s classroom.

Barry Hines acclaimed novel, A Kestrel for a Knave, remains a favoured GCSE text. Lawrence Till, Former Artistic Director of the Bolton Octagon and Watford Palace Theatres, has a long association with Kes first creating an adaptation to be performed on stage by 120 school children. As well as creating a musical version of the story, in 1999 Till was commissioned by West Yorkshire Playhouse to write a new adaptation for their Quarry Theatre which has now been performed both nationally and internationally.

 

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