Proper Job Theatre Company, based in Huddersfield, create and tour new exciting work, produce large-scale theatre events and support and nurture individuals from the local community. Proper Job are the only company using biomechanics, a Russian actor training technique, created by the theatrical master, Meyerhold over 100 years ago. This approach to acting allows actors to express emotion physically through gestures and movements; Proper Job endeavour to show a more expressive style of acting told in a more physical way.
Proper Job have recently turned their attention to Franz Kafka’s The Trial where, through dynamic movements, they aim to show a more emotive and surreal take on the best-selling novel by the Bohemian novelist.
We spoke with James Beale, director of Proper Job Theatre Company, about our new theatre production.
What inspired you to take on The Trial?
James: As is Proper Job’s methodology or the way we approach things is that we try to take stories that we believe are relevant to contemporary issues. We are really intrigued by the increases in surveillance, culture and the use of digital to tacitly listen to conversations that happened, like the Cambridge Analytical scandal, all the ways we are being observed through social media and we thought that was really relevant and interesting at least in relation to Kafka’s text.
What makes your take of The Trial unique or different from other adaptations?
James: I think every adaptation is unique in its own way because it’s the artistic ideas that come over from the director or company so it’s all unique but what makes us distinctive is our classic use of music, movement and text and placing that within a contemporary context.
What do you hope audiences will get from seeing the show?
James: I hope they will be entertained by the show so they will hopefully find the performance amusing but with a real important point to say. I also like the idea that they are getting a little bit more of the theatricality of the madness in the performance; it’ll be quite distinctive I hope.
The tour of The Trial gets to Barnsley on the 22nd and 23rd Oct. Book your tickets here.
