PLEASE sir, they want some more... Bentley High Street Primary School's drama teacher Kevin Spence is taking children on a tour of the dark side of Victorian England – by staging Neil Bartlett's adaptation of Oliver Twist.
With a group of young performers from the Doncaster Little Theatre, Mr Spence – who has been a mem
ber of the theatre for some 13 years – has chosen to cover Bartlett's darker version of the Charles Dickens classic.
And the budding stars can't wait to perform on stage in front of packed audiences, later this week!
Artistic director Mr Spence said: "Neil's script is a lot darker where you go back to see the characters for what they really are like, back in the olden times.
"About 40 kids have worked on this production and really got into the story line.
"Everyone has a strong part to play and they've really enjoyed themselves.
"Rehearsals have gone on for around eight weeks before putting it onto the big stage.
"It is a very fast turnover, but the group love it because they love the performance side of it all so that's what they look most forward to."
He added: "We're not asking this group to become Hollywood actors – we're giving them a group in which they can make friends, build up their self-esteem and have something extra to do."
The particular production runs from from Thursday, November 27 to Saturday, November 29 and tickets for it have been flying off the counter!
Mr Spence added: "We do get a lot of children from the Bentley area and, especially after the last year the village has had with the devastating floods, it's a great way for them to get into something.
"That also means on performance night their parents love to see them perform, their grandparents, their cousins, aunties, uncles, everyone is always really proud when they see their child on stage."
One group already booked in to see the show is fellow High Street Primary School teacher Gary Brown and his form – to help with a school project as well as seeing their school pals on stage!
Mr Brown added: "I'm taking my class to the production because it will definitely help them with their topic on Victorian times.
"Kevin works here doing after-school clubs and also teaches French and art.
"He is a former headteacher himself and he's always really busy working on something to get the children active.
"I worked with him last year as he helped me and my class put on an assembly based on Victorian times, and that was absolutely fantastic.
"Joe Craswell, who used to be one of my pupils, is in the play – so it will be great to see him on stage too and a lot of his old friends here can't wait."
After Dickens, the theatre group will be turning its attentions to adapting Yorkshire's mining classic Brassed Off... and Mr Spence is hoping the group can take it on the road, to former mining villages in the area.
