From nowhere to somewhere

The story of ‘Twelve Miles from Nowhere’ began in 2010. Having for a number of years stretched its resources to create professionally produced work for young people growing up in rural Cheshire, Cheshire Rural Touring Arts (CRTA) joined forces with Action Transport Theatre Company (ATTC). The aim has always been to try and create drama that is authentic, gives a voice to rural young people and validates their experiences – importantly using source material drawn directly from the young people themselves. Twelve Miles from Nowhere was created by ATTC through a process that saw four young actor-writers (Sarah Calver, Doug Crossley, Freddie Machin and Ben Worth) working on the research, writing and performance, alongside Kevin Dyer, the director and ATTC’s writer-in-residence. The show originally had a 17-date run in the Cheshire area only, in Autumn 2011.

The original partners felt they had unfinished business with the play and began to seek ways to give it a wider audience

Over the course of the tour it became apparent that the play challenged cosy ideals of the 'rural farming story', and the original partners felt they had unfinished business with the play and began to seek ways to give it a wider audience. Which is where Karen Simpson Productions came in – an organisation established in 2012 with the specific aim of creating new British drama for audiences across the UK and beyond. It brings together experienced artistic teams to make work for touring venues, the first of which, ‘The Incredible Doctor Guttmann’, telling the story of how the Paralympics began, toured nationally during Autumn 2012. Producer Karen Simpson had a history with ATTC (she was a founder member and former Artistic Director of the company) and experience of rural touring, as well as previous experience applying to Arts Council England’s Grants for the Arts. Karen had seen the original production of Twelve Miles from Nowhere, saw its potential and so undertook the task of writing the bid and taking on the production when that bid was successful.

The result has seen a small-scale project, financed by affordable contributions in cash or in kind, from two small arts organisations, grow and develop, going on to reach audiences from six rural touring schemes across five Arts Council England regions. Feedback has shown that this compelling piece of drama has resonances for all age groups, from a flurry of activity on social media to post-show comments about the realistic (and unnerving) way a gun was handled during the performance and lively talkback sessions throughout the tour.

Claire Smith is Rural Arts Officer at Cheshire Rural Touring Arts and Assistant Producer of Twelve Miles From Nowhere.
www.cheshireruraltouringarts.co.uk