Getting There

Written by James Baldwin, Co-directed by James Baldwin and Kelsey Cherie Gordon

Cast: Amy Astley and Ciaran O’Breen

The production will tour to secondary schools from Monday 21 March – Friday 1 April 2022

Getting There, centres around Charlie, a deaf young carer who juggles school and friends with care routines, medication, and financial responsibilities at home. This fast-paced and fun show looks at the challenges faced by Charlie and is presented in a journey of audience participation, sign language and karaoke, with action taking place and audience seated onboard a bus, supported by Oxford Bus Company.

In collaboration with Deafinitely Theatre, the project has worked with deaf and hard of hearing creatives (performers/interpreters/designers) to integrate BSL, captioning and accessible AV equipment into the show.

It is estimated that two children in every class in Oxfordshire are young carers, yet fewer than 20% are identified. Post Covid-lockdown, The Carers Trust has highlighted the even greater need to bring awareness to the situation of these marginalised children.

The organisations joining forces to bring this project to life are passionate about raising much-needed awareness around an important topic, whilst celebrating the young people who live this reality daily, in a show that is full of fun, karaoke and balloons!

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cast and creatives 

James Baldwin is a writer, director, facilitator, and dramaturg. James is the former literary associate at The Marlowe and has worked with the National Theatre Studio, the National Theatre of Scotland, the Old Vic, in the West End, and regionally. James is the recipient of the Lilian Baylis Award for Theatrical Excellence, the Ideastap Innovator's Award and The Walter Tull Playwrighting Prize. James is a graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and an alumnus of the Royal Court Young Writers' Programme. James is published by Oberon Books and is attached to BBC drama 'Doctors' following the Writersroom shadow scheme. James is a trustee of The Old Fire Station, Oxford and is an Associate Artist at the egg, Theatre Royal Bath. The community projects he has co-designed with Create have won multiple Koestler Awards, contributed to two Young People Now Awards (Young Carers) and won The Charity Times Digital Transformation Award. For Toucan Theatre, James created the popular show ‘The Naughty Fox’, a flexible multisensory experience that tours to theatre spaces and disability settings.

Amy Astley plays Youth Worker. Amy is a TSLI with over 15 years’ experience in arts education and performance. Previous credits include Carrie’s War (UK tour), Gay’s the Word (Jermyn Street), Blue Remembered Hills (UK tour), A Little Night Music (Yvonne Arnaud Theatre), Free as Air (Finborough Theatre), Our Town (UK tour) and her own one woman show Keep the Home Fires Burning (UK tour).

Ciaran O’Breen is an actor, theatre maker, a facilitator, and BSL guide. He participated in Bristol Old Vic’s Made in Bristol scheme in residence (2020-21). In Feb 2022, he had an Emerging Creative Artist Placement for Wonder Boy at BOV, in which he worked with Sally Cookson. His theatre credits include RED (Polka Theatre), Story of Guts (Bristol Old Vic) and The Hunchback of Notre Dame (National Youth Music Theatre).

Kelsey Cherie Gordon is an actress, director, facilitator, and storyteller based in South-East London. Cherie’s credits as an actor include Everyday (Deafinitely Theatre), Echoes (Brighton Screen and Film School) Afterthought (Derby Theatre), A Night in Sign (Storyhouse Live), Summer’s Park Adventure (Music Box Theatre), Messy (Zoo Co Theatre), Listen (BFI Film Academy short film), Pretty Bop (R.A.E music video), And Others (Graeae play reading), FGM (Sign Health awareness video) and Reverberation (BSL Zone). Credits as a director include Getting There (Toucan, Oxford Playhouse and Deafinitely Theatre) and Untitled (short film). She also works with Handprint Theatre, Mousetrap Theatre Projects, Deafinitely Theatre and Graeae, leading and assisting workshops for children.

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watch

paula garfield announces the show