BUDDING actors from Kirkbie Kendal School get a taste of professional theatre on Friday (October 2).

The Kendal school is staging a morning performance (11am) of Arthur Miller’s classic play A View from the Bridge for students and parents in Paines Plough's portable, 168-seater auditorium, Roundabout.

The renowned London-based theatre company brings its innovative, plug-in-and-play theatre space to Kendal as part of a series of special performances organised by the Brewery Arts Centre.

Set up on Abbot Hall's old bowling green, students will not only have the opportunity to perform in a professional space but they will also learn how to use an acting area where the audience are on all four sides rather than just one.

KK's head of drama, Louise Gallagher said that it was a brilliant opportunity for students: She added: "You normally wouldn’t get to see never mind use a theatre like this outside of the Edinburgh Festival. It will be a huge challenge to our students performing in-the-round. Paines Plough is the leading new writing company in England so I am also thrilled that they are coming here."

Louise explained that she had staged Miller’s play before but KK's version will be unique: “When I worked in Perthshire as drama education officer I led a project based on A View from the Bridge and I love the play so much. It’s about family, community and betrayal and it stays as relevant today as it was in 1950s America. Last time I produced it we did a cross art form initiative and devised music, art and drama inspired by the play; this time we are using Arthur Miller’s actual script but we are using multi-roling so that it is a truly ensemble production. The students have been an inspiration how they have risen to this call and they show a really insightful understanding of the text. Many of them have performed on the Brewery stage before so this opportunity will stretch them even further.”

KK student James Siodlak, who plays Eddie, said he was really enjoying working on the play: “We are using the fact that it’s in-the-round to tie in with how we play it. It’s very much a group performance with more than one person playing each part, so, although I play Eddie, I’m not the only one. It’s going to be fun to get our heads round just how to make it work for an audience in that space.”

Eloise McPherson-Bowes, who plays Alfieri, said: “This is a great opportunity for us.”

Paines Plough stages four productions with Sian Reese-Williams - who played Gennie, one of the Dingle family in television soap Emmerdale until 2013 - sharing the spotlight with fellow actors Sidney Cole and Abdul Salis in three of them.

Wednesday, September 30 - Lungs (7pm) and Every Brilliant Thing (9pm).

Thursday, October 1 - Our Teacher's A Troll (10.30am and 1.30pm); The Human Ear (7.30pm).

Friday, October 2 - Our Teacher's A Troll (1.30pm); Lungs (7.30pm)

Saturday, October 3 - Our Teacher's A Troll (2pm); The Human Ear (5pm); Lungs (7.30pm).

For details visit www.breweryarts.co.uk or call box office on 01539-725133.