Deal Festival: Youth Theatre presents Pathfinder

Oh my lord the last couple of weeks have been ridiculously busy!  On top of the day job (which is supposed to get quieter when the students aren't here but doesn't, and University staff don't get the summer off either before you ask), I have also had a Play Reading Group to run, auditions for our next play to attend, a school friend's wedding on a Saturday (first time I have ever been to a wedding with Jewish elements, it was brilliant!), Steve has been in Cairo for work, we have our house on the market (eek!), we had our Players monthly social, Hay Fever was on, which meant doing the dress rehearsal photo's, selling programmes one evening and actually going to see it and my fit club has started again.  One Tuesday evening I was triple booked.  I have no idea how, my diary management has just collapsed.  It has just been a whirlwind of activity!

Somewhere in amongst that whirlwind the Deal Festival was taking place.  Unfortunately I wasn't able to get to nearly as much as I wanted due to said whirlwind above; it just wasn't physically possible, but I did manage to get to one event on a beautiful Sunday afternoon when I had a few free hours.  The Deal Youth Theatre were performing an original production called 'Commemorating World War I, Pathfinder'.  Steve was due to go to Cairo the next morning and needed to pack so I went alone to watch the group perform.

I'm so glad I made it - I'm a real believer in the importance of Youth Theatre in helping young people develop, grow in confidence, explore aspects of their personality in a safe and nurturing environment, get exposure to people from different backgrounds and new ideas and ways of thinking, learning about different cultures and generally helping them mature into well rounded people who are capable of considering ideas and formulating arguments to express their own point of view in a mature and articulate manner.  OK, the acting and stage discipline probably isn't going to be of the highest quality you have ever watched, but it takes a lot of guts to do what these kids are doing, and that should be supported and celebrated.

The Astor Theatre in Deal is a lovely little community theatre- simple but perfect for small productions and a real hub in the heart of Deal.  Pathfinder was commissioned to commemorate the First World War and penned by local writer Rhiannon Tise, with funding from the BBC Performing Arts Fund and Deal Town Council. Tise developed a story inspired by ideas generated by the young people who wanted to do a production about the war that involved a ghost; the result is Pathfinder, a ghostly love story spanning a hundred years. The play draws on multiple factual references to Deal's involvement in the war

Its premise was fairly simple - a young couple in 1913 in love are separated when he has to join the navy on the HMS Pathfinder.  Before he goes, he gives her a necklace and they pledge themselves to each other forever.  In September 1914 the HMS Pathfinder was sunk, killing all on board including the young sailor.  In modern day Deal a young girl, who is helping her mother clear out the belongings of a recently deceased old lady, comes across a necklace and is allowed to keep it.  She argues with her boyfriend over a party that is happening that night.  Later at the party a group of boys are drinking and one offers to drive them all home.  The young girl tries to intervene but her boyfriend ignores her and gets in the car.  The car crashes, and her boyfriend is killed.  The driver of the car is ostracised by the rest of society, including, to start with, the young girl.  During the course of the play she starts seeing visions of the dead sailor, and through a lot of soul searching and forgiving the driver for the death of her boyfriend, she helps the dead sailor cross into the light and be reunited with his old love.

The play was very simply set - a couple of boxes were moved by the cast to become the car, the disco, a bedroom and other key venues.

The sides of the stage became the pier for fishing, and a simple lighting and sound design was very effective.  All the young people gave powerful performances, including some strong singing voices. The themes that they were exploring; lost love, adult responsibility, drink driving, drug taking, grief and commitment were incredibly intense and they did justice to a very moving performance.  It was clear that they were all enjoying themselves immensely and there were a lot of proud parents in the audience!

I would strongly recommend you looking to see if you can support youth theatre in your own area - it is such a valuable resource for young people and a lot of what they do is original work.  The play was a short one, under an hour in length, but incredibly enjoyable.

I'm really a bit gutted I wasn't able to make it to more of the Festival - it has just been one of those weeks unfortunately and I simply did not have the time to make it.  A shame,  as I really wanted to see Romeo and Juliet in Walmer Castle, Jitterbug by the Aurora Orchestra and the Cory Band.  I'm hoping that next year I will be able to see more.

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Deal Festival 2014

So far this year there has been Sounds New, Wise Words, Rochester Sweeps (which I couldn’t get to) and we have Broadstairs Folk coming up.  All these festivals within a few short months of each other – it’s like a continuous onslaught of culture.

There is one Festival though that has been there quietly in the background all along.  One of the longest running festivals in East Kent, it has carved a path for all who would follow.  The Deal Festival is a true trailblazer, and it is about to enter its 34^th year of celebrations.  

Whilst at the Sounds New Festival, I got chatting with one of the organisers, Willie Cooper just before Led Bib were about to take the stage.  She mentioned the Deal Festival, which she is heavily involved in the organization of, and asked if I would be willing to blog about it for her.  I jumped at the chance, and that is how it came about that a few weeks later I was slurping a mix berry smoothie in the Gulbenkian Café, chatting about all things related to the Deal Festival with Willie and the Chairman, Graham Harvey. 

As we talk, I get a full insight into the background of the Deal Festival, and why it is still going strong after such a long innings.  Both Willie and Graham display enthusiasm and pride in their Festival, words tripping over each other as they talk about the world exclusives that will be showcased throughout the week.

The Deal Festival has been running for 33 years and started life as a quaint series of formal evening concerts.  There have been a series of artistic directors that the Festival has known throughout the years, from David Matthews to Paul Edlin and Matthew Sharp.  These days the Festival is a high class, well-respected and diverse showcase of theatre and music, art and history, debate and poetry and also has a strong reputation for its educational programme involving both adults and school children.  John Wallace has just agreed to become an ambassador for the Festival and is heavily involved with the Bold As Brass project.   He also happens to have been the Principle Trumpeter for the Philharmonic Orchestra.  Other famous names that have lent their weight to the Festival include Germaine Greer and Dennis Norton.

There is music here for everybody, whether you love a genre or want to try out new things.  The Festival offers real, cultured live music from the world’s best.  There is dance and comedy and ownership by the local community who turn out in force to celebrate.  Local businesses say that the best two times of the year are Christmas and the Deal Festival with people visiting this little coastal mining town from all over the world.  Willie leans forward, her eyes shining as she explains to me that Deal has always been a centre of culture and has always had musicians living and working in the town.  There is a huge legacy from the mining brass band culture and this year the Festival is welcoming the best brass band in the world, The Cory Band, to its shores.  Young people in the area have already had the chance to rehearse with them and will play alongside them on Saturday 5^th July at 7.30pm at the Nye Hall in the Duke of York’s School in nearby Dover. 

Graham stresses that the Festival is organic, ever changing, flexing to and often ahead of the times and the changing arts culture around us.  TheSouth East Artists Open Studio’s will be taking place at the same time and the Festival is working alongside them to ensure that the Festival is progressing, adapting and changing.  Graham gives me a wry smile and notes that the Deal Festival always pitches above its weight, given the resources available.  Willie nods in agreement.  “We have big ideas and somehow we always make them work.  We have good people so we have a good festival”. 

Planning takes place at least 18 months in advance, in addition to regular events throughout the year and the Deal Festival Summer Music School held in Dover and attended by 60-100 individuals over the course of a week from the 4^th August.  

I ask Willie and Graham what their top three highlights of this years Festival are for them.  They both look a bit stumped for a moment, then Willie exclaims that The Cory Band have to be one for their world exclusive performance.  Graham points out Harry The Piano, the launch event of the Festival on the 27^th June at 8pm in the Astor Community Theatre in Deal and the Aurora Orchestra closing the Festival on the 6^th July in St George’s Church in Deal at 7.30pm.  This Jitterbug orchestra includes a world premier of the brand new Porgy and Bess piece.  Willie says she has to talk about David Rees Williams, a friend of hers and part of the David ReesWilliams Trio performing on the 3^rd July at 7.30pm in the Astor Community Theatre in Deal.  This Canterbury based band have toured festivals and events throughout Europe, playing the best classical and jazz music the world has to offer.  She then throws a 5^th into the mix; Gavin Esler’s series on World War I on the 29^th June at 4.30pm at the Astor Community Theatre.  Gavin will be hosting a panel of eminent historians and academics looking at the lasting legacy of World War I. 

Graham notes that he just wants people to come away from the Festival having tried something new, found something to love and having enjoyed the experience.   He laughs and says that one thing you can say about the Deal Festival is that it is never the same thing twice.

Deal is the jewel in Kent’s Crown and the Festival proves that it can be more than just aesthetically pleasing.  Deal can be vibrant and artistic, a true centre of culture.

The Deal Festival is taking place from the 27^th June to the 6^th July with over 25 unique events to sample.  For a full programme and event booking information, please go the website 

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